According to latest reports, Watford are the latest team to have joined the race with Premier League clubs to land highly-rated Iran winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh. The 23-year-old has earned rave reviews from the Dutch league this season with a number of clubs eyeing a move for him.
After a brilliant first half of the season that saw Walter Mazzarri’s men sitting in the top half of the table, the Hornets have faced an obvious slump as the season approaches its end. The Italian boss has always preferred a safe play and that has made it difficult to retain productive results throughout the season.
Watford currently sit at the 13th position in the league table with 40 points, eight points above the relegation zone. It is safe to say that they have averted the danger this season and the club has already started making preparations for the next. However, the options on the wing in the current squad has been a concern for Mazzarri throughout the season.
Mazzari started the season with Roberto Pereyra, Isaac Success, Camilo Zúñiga and Nordin Amrabat. But repeated injuries made it very difficult for the manager to experiment with the options and none could contribute significantly from the wide areas. It was last January that the manager brought in M’Baye Niang and Mauro Zarate from Serie A and within no time Zarate was sidelined for the season.
Niang has been somewhat of a success for the manager, bagging two goals and two assists in 11 outings so far, but he is due to return to Milan after his loan period ends. A move for Alireza makes sense and given his offensive attributes, he would be a good fit in the Premier League.
A right winger by nature, the 23-year old can play on the other flank a well as through the middle. He has been a regular for AZ Alkmaar this season scoring eight goals and assisting eight times in 27 league outings. His experience in the Europa League also makes him a prized asset for the club.
Watford, however, will face stiff competition from the likes of Bournemouth and Burnley in landing him. Alireza’s contract with AZ Alkmaar expires on 2020 and he is unlikely to extend it anytime soon. And with the attraction he is getting from Premier League, the club might as well sell him this summer.
As per reports, the Dutch side will be accepting any fee in the region of £9million. Alireza was hugely linked to Chelsea three years back when he was with NEC Nijmegen, but the forward decided against it and went on to be voted Eerste Divisie’s best player for 2014-15 soon after.
His high technique and versatility in the attacking third has won him 28 full caps and he played a small role in Iran’s 2014 World Cup campaign as well. So is he a decent option for Watford this summer?
