Likely to move back to Serie A and be replaced by a HG centre back - confirmed by Edwards after the game yesterday. Club progressing on the target player. https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/20438927.watford-sell-defender-replacements-mind/
Trying to think of realistic replacements.... Matt Clarke? Daniel Ballard? Teden Mengi? Chris Mepham? Kourtney Hause? I'd love Ronnie Edwards from Peterborough but club probably want a bit more experience - and rumours Peterborough are asking for a £15m which obviously we will go nowhere near. EDIT: Didn't see Ballard had joined Sunderland.
Ballard recently joined Sunderland though, didn’t he? Others sound realistic though. Or at least they would if the club had any sense. We’ll sign another foreign player just to compound things.
Didn't Ballard go to Sunderland? I think I read Fry saying he'd happily let Edwards leave for crazy money and take him back on loan. We're never spending that type of money on a CB. Hoping for a natural left footer.
The way French has written the article, it makes it sound like Edwards had a look at Samir in the friendlies and decided ‘nah, don’t need him’. I’m confident that’s not what happened at all. Maybe I’m misinterpreting the tone of the write-up, or maybe Pozzos’s put French on a spin cycle now that he’s staying at WO longer term.
Makes it even more annoying that we seemingly didn't even bother looking at Anel Ahmedodzic. Great value, young, and HG. Will Fish is perhaps another candidate but he's over in Australia and getting a few mins under Ten Hag so doubt that would be an imminent one. Outside chance of Levi Colwill maybe if we can broker a good deal?
Some good suggestions in here but it'll likely be a free transfer, loan or a Jupiler league special Not sure I believe the spin on Edwards making the decision on this either. Samir is a good defender at this level who has featured throughout pre-season and is , crucially, left footed with the ability to pass along the deck and through the middle (the rest of them just float balls into the channels) I think it’s too much of a coincidence that there were comments 3/4 days ago prior to any rumours saying he was on his way and Edwards was annoyed
Think this is a good move providing the replacement is decent, one more NHG spot freed up and a player who didn't want to be here. From what I've heard I get the impression both this and Femenia were RE calls. Sounds like the replacement is somewhat imminent - trying to think who it could be. Assume it will be a prem loan/free rather than targeting any young players with potential. Names that come to mind are Hause, Clarke, Colwill (the dream), Mbete (looked at him before). Think Jake Cooper is in final year of contract?
Samir, sure, but it sounds to me that Kiko wasn't as much of an Edwards 'decision' as the club allowed him to go back to Spain for personal reasons Also, I don't think the article reads that either deal is imminent
I think we’ll probably need a left footer though. You know I’ve been banging the Ahmedhodzic drum but he’s a rightie. Hause and Clarke seem like the two most obvious candidates. Clarke far superior with the ball but Hause a much better defender. Maybe Eiran Cashin at Derby. Jacob Greaves (Hull but too expensive), Rob Atkinson (Bristol City) and Murray Wallace would all be decent too. Don’t see how Colwill is attainable - will be headed to a PL side I’d imagine. Andrew French has said all of the targets mentioned to him are under 30 and left-footed.
Of course, but I don't think he felt let down by the club in any shape or form not having him to use.
Yep probably doesn't particularly suit us - Tom Mcintyre is actually home grown and might not cost masses, be a risk though.
No loss? Our least worst centre back over the last 4 seasons. I'd say he is a big loss, since we are utterly incapable of replacing him. Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk
WO reporter says names we've been after are under 30 and left footed. Didn't realise Hause didn't go to Australia with Villa - sure we'll be back in for him.
I can't see us paying money for anyone. I'm thinking Gino will be wetting his pants for either Alfie Mawson on a free or James Tomkins on loan. I've just seen that Lewis Gibson is out of contract, still only 22 and was highly rated but his career has stalled a bit. Could be the kind of player Edwards would like to work with though.
Had knee surgery at the start of the month and is expected to be back training around mid-August, so if we do go for him it might be towards the end of the window. I wouldn't say no to him, he'd give us some much needed athleticism at the back.
Daniel Moroney on Twitter: "Watford will receive a transfer fee (for Samir)". Only with Watford would that need stating. We are selling a 27 year old Brazilian centre back with 3 years on his contract and it's almost a surprise that it is a conventional sale and isn't some inexplicable free transfer favour underhand dodgy deal.
Could end up with two centre backs who started the 20/21 season when most of us had concerns about the defence.
