Watford has suffered a major blow in their pursuit of Inter Milan midfielder Joao Mario. According to recent reports in Italy, the Portuguese midfielder has rejected a move to Vicarage Road but is still adamant to leave his current club to try and reignite his career this month.
With the 2018 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, the 24-year-old is looking for regular first-team football to try and earn a place in Portugal’s world cup squad. Some sources have already claimed that the midfielder is reluctant to join the Hornets and play under fellow countryman Marco Silva at the Hertfordshire club. It is believed that he wants a move to a club still involved in an European competition with Sevilla being touted as a likely destination.
With the Hornets set to miss out on their Portuguese target, let’s take a look at three alternative options for Marco Silva to consider.
Davy Klaassen
The Everton midfielder has struggled to find his touch at Merseyside since his arrival from Ajax last summer. The 24-year-old has featured in 13 matches for the Toffees this season but is yet to score a goal so far. He needs to switch clubs in order to find some regular first-team football and Marco Silva could provide him with an escape route by giving him a chance at Vicarage Road. The Dutch midfielder has scored 55 goals and made 38 assists in 180 appearances for AFC Ajax. He has a knack for scoring and creating goals with the Hornets needing some cutting edge on the final third. Klaassen has the potential to rise to the challenge at Hertfordshire and help them in their quest to avoid the drop this season.
Hakim Ziyech
The 24-year-old Ajax midfielder has been in sensational form this season and has scored 4 goals and made 9 assists in 23 appearances for the Dutch giants in all competitions. A potential move for the Morrocon international might turn out to be an ideal deal for the Hornets as they look to fight for their lives in the second half of the campaign. His attacking talents could be the difference between them staying at the top tier of English football or getting relegated to the Championship.
Luis Alberto
The former Liverpool midfielder has lit up the Serie A with his performances for Lazio this season. The Spaniard is finally fulfilling his potential in Italy and might fancy a move back to the Premier League where he has some unfinished business as he wasn’t able to cut the mustard in his first attempt at Merseyside. The 25-year-old has featured in 26 matches for the Italian club, scoring 7 goals and providing 9 assists in this campaign across all competitions. He is exactly the kind of player Watford can make use of, in their quest to ensure Premier League football next season.
