Despite earning promotion to the Premier League, Watford are without a ‘prolific’ striker. Ismaila Sarr, the club’s well-known right-winger, leads the way with 13 goals, while 19-year-old center-forward Joao Pedro follows with nine goals. Although Pedro will only continue to improve, and Cucho Hernandez is expected to stay at Vicarage Road following his loan to Getafe, Watford know they need to boost their attacking ranks if they are to comfortably avoid a second relegation in three seasons. Now, Chelsea striker Ike Ugbo could be the man coming in to ensure the Hornets have more than enough striking depth and talent.
Watford Already in Talks with Chelsea for Ike Ugbo
£5 million Price Tag Agreed
According to Simon Johnson of The Athletic, Watford and Chelsea already have a transfer for Ugbo in the works. The first discussions occurred earlier in April, and follow-up talks are imminent. The potential deal is worth £5 million. The move is still “in the early stages.”
Eintracht Frankfurt, Genk, and Monaco are all monitoring Ugbo’s situation. The Athletic claim his host-club Cercle Brugge previously negotiated for a £5 million release clause, though the 22-year-old would prefer to play somewhere else. If more intriguing offers come in, Chelsea are not obliged to striking a transfer with the Hornets.
The former England U20 player was born in London, so a move to a club on the city’s outskirts could be extra-attractive. Chelsea seem poised to cash in on Ugbo – whose contract expires in the summer of 2022 – so where he will next be permanently plying his trade should be clarified in the next few weeks.
Ike Ugbo Turning Heads With Cercle Brugge
Had it not been for Ugbo, Cercle Brugge would almost certainly have been relegated. The Chelsea loanee scored 16 of the club’s 40 goals. In 32 appearances, he averaged one goal per 171 minutes. The impressive output alone makes him a player worth targeting for any of the clubs linked. However, his young age and extremely positive trajectory make £5 million appear to be a bargain.
Between the summer of 2017 and 2019, Ugbo spent time with Barnsley, MK Dons, and Scunthorpe United. After gaining much-needed experience in the physical lower-tiers of English football, he spent the 2019/20 season on loan with Roda JC in the Dutch second tier. A 13 goal and three assist season in 28 appearances set him up perfectly for his prolific current campaign.
The talented striker’s future remains unclear, but Watford’s negotiating head-start sets them up really well for securing his signature.
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