According to latest reports, Watford are eyeing a move for West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster. The veteran had spent two seasons with the Hornets on loan when he was with Manchester United and Watford are looking to offer West Brom £10m for their first choice custodian.
The 35-year-old has been around the blocks for quite some time now and has been a Premier League regular for the Baggies in the last 6 seasons. He has made 223 appearances for them over the years and has been a stalwart for them at the back. However, the Baggies suffered relegation last season and everyone knows a relegation is usually followed by a mass exodus of players as they usually have to take a pay cut after the team gets relegated to the second division.
The Hornets are keen on giving Foster a way out of Championship football but his comments which were made during the latter stages of the last season, might just give some insights on the goalkeeper’s future and thought process.
He had said,” I’ll be here. I’ve got no interest in trying to move clubs. I’m very settled and I’m sure there are quite a few others who would love to stay and help us get back to the Premier League. If we end up in the Championship next season we’ve got to bounce back up. I’d like to keep a core of the players that want to dig in, work hard and be in a tough fight to get out of the Championship because it is a tough fight.”
One doesn’t see this kind of loyalty in football these days but Watford are set to test the player’s and the club’s resolve. Foster made 37 appearances in the Premier League last season and managed 10 clean sheets. With a better defence in front of him, the clean sheet number would have certainly been much higher.
It is believed that Watford will part ways with Costel Pantilimon and they are looking to bring in his replacement. Last season, they struggled with their goalkeeping options as Heurelho Gomes was eccentric and inconsistent in his performances and the manager had to use Orestis Karnezis who did a much better job than the veteran Gomes.
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However, Foster will be an upgrade over the two of them and it is likely that he will be a regular starter if Watford manages to lure him at Vicarage Road even though he has pledged his future at the Hawthorns. Though £10m, for a 35-year-old is a bit too much to pay and from West Brom’s point of view as well, they might be tempted to sell him for that amount.
