One of the many clubs that had a decent season in the Premier League last campaign was Vicarage Road outfit Watford FC. Quique Sanchez Flores did a good job with the team in hand and helped them to another year in the top flight of English football but was not able to keep his job going into the next season. He was replaced by Walter Mazzarri who is now looking to shape his squad at the club ahead of the next season. And one player who might be a part of that team and is linked with a move to the club this summer is Argentine winger Roberto Pereyra.
A product of the River Plate youth academy, the 24-year old is a versatile midfielder who established himself as a decent player with his performances for the Italian champions Juventus in the previous season. He played 14 games in all competitions for the Serie A side and has been impressive at times. He is also a part of the Argentina national team and has earned himself 10 caps already for his nation. His exploits with club and country recently have seen him linked with a move to the Premier League with Watford reportedly interested in signing him. So here is our SWOT analysis of Mazzarri’s latest transfer target.
Strengths
A tall and strong midfielder who is comfortable playing on the right side of the attack or through the middle, the 24-year old is a creative midfielder by trait. He loves to hold the ball up in the final third and find his team-mates in space or set them up on goal with his range of passing. He has a great understanding of the game and is capable of finding spaces even against the toughest opponents. His crossing and dribbling abilities will attract clubs around Europe while his finishing is also not too bad. He loves to play short and simple passes to keep hold of the ball and will settle into most squads even in the Premier League.
Weaknesses
Pereyra is not the tallest player around and is not too strong in the air. He is often seen shying away from battles in the air and is a liability in the final third in such situations in the Premier League. He is also not adept defensively and is often found out of position without the ball at his feet, something he will have to work on but at his age, he will only learn more, the more game time he gets. He is also criticised for the lack of concentration under pressure but even that will come with regular game-time.
Opportunities
At just 24, Pereyra is one of the many exciting midfielders in Europe at the moment, attracting interests from various clubs. He is a player who has shown great potential in recent times and his runners-up medal with Argentina in the Copa America recently will make him even more attractive to potential suitors. He played a decent role in Juventus lifting the Italian championship last season and has gathered enough experience to help other sides in Europe and will be a great addition to the squad at Watford. Mazzarri, the manager at the club is willing to pay £7.8m for his services, which shows that he will be given a first team place next season which will help him reach his potential in years to come.
Threats
As already mentioned, Pereyra, at his price, will be a regular starter for the Hornets next season and will be under pressure to perform. The Watford side did a decent job in the Premier League in the previous season and it will be hard for Mazzarri to repeat the performance. However, he will hope that the 24-year old midfielder will help him in his adventure which adds more pressure on the Argentine. Moving to one of the most competitive leagues in Europe at his age cannot be easy as failure to perform will see him branded as a flop for the rest of his career. So if he makes the move, he has to make sure that he impresses one and all, else, he may fall out of favour all over Europe.
