Watford released Carlos Sanchez upon the expiration of his contract. ‘La Roca’s‘ departure, in conjunction with promotion to the Premier League, makes it imperative for the Hornets to sign another central midfielder. Now, their sights are set on Lewis Ferguson, but their initial bid was “insulting” to Aberdeen. Nonetheless, the Hornets must try and negotiate.
Why Watford Need to Push for Lewis Ferguson Signature
Lewis Ferguson Transfer Saga Unfolded in Hours
According to Adam Leventhal of the Athletic, Watford offered Aberdeen an initial fee of £1.2 million with the potential to rise to £2 million. Aberdeen released a statement describing the Hornets’ attempted bid as “what can only be described as an insulting offer.”
Former Aberdeen manager and club legend Willie Miller suggests an appropriate offer for Ferguson would have to be in excess of £4 million. With the club stating, “he has a bright future ahead of him as an integral part of Stephen Glass’s squad,” it is hard to expect they will be willing to sell him for a sum considerably less than what Miller suggests.
However, Aberdeen did lose some leverage in the negotiations. The Scottish club “is greatly disappointed to have received a written transfer request from midfielder Lewis Ferguson.”
With Ferguson agitating for a Premier League transfer, Watford’s path to securing the talented 21-year-old’s signature is not blocked. But, should the Hornets be willing to up their offer to bring him in?
Watford Should Increase Their Bid for the Impressive Midfielder
In 2018, Ferguson joined Aberdeen, from Hamilton, for £200,000 via a tribunal (with Hamilton arguing they should have received over £1 million). The then-18-year-old proved to be an instant success. In his first season with Aberdeen, Ferguson scored eight goals in 44 appearances in all competitions, including a wonder-goal against Burnley in a Europa League qualifying match.
Ferguson picked up right where he left off the following season. He played 39 times in all competitions, scoring three times and picking up four assists in the league. In the 2020/21 campaign, he scored ten goals across 41 matches, picking up two assists in the process.
Despite clearly being a threat in the attack, Ferguson also offers tremendous discipline in defence when required. His ability to poke the ball away from the opposition and sit in front of the back-line makes him perfectly well-rounded. Furthermore, his phenomenal range of passing makes him the ideal player to transition the play briskly from defence to attack.
Beyond his attacking acumen and defensive soundness, the 21-year-old has already proved himself as top-flight talented for many years. This notion of being a safe, durable bet to bring to the Premier League is epitomised by his playing time. Since joining Aberdeen, Ferguson played in all 124 matches he was eligible for. He started all 124 of those matches, only being substituted off on five occasions.
Watford know how effective signings such as Ferguson can be based on their success with Will Hughes. Hughes had already proven himself across four full seasons at Derby County when the Hornets signed him as a 22-year-old. He showed similar traits and strengths prior to his 2017 transfer as Ferguson does now.
So, if Aberdeen are willing to compromise, the Hornets should pay what Aberdeen want. And even then, a £4 million fee for Ferguson would still be a fair deal to Watford anyway.
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