Watford has reportedly opened negotiations with Fenerbahce SK for the transfer of Josef De Souza. Wolves are rivalling the Hornets with a £7.9m bid even though the Turkish outfit are holding out for a fee close to £10.5m.
As the 2018/19 season approaches, it is interesting to note the direction Watford takes to answer for their blunders last term. The club started the season off in blistering form but midway fell off the mark and ended up in the 14th spot of the Premier League. Javi Gracia did the needful to retain the club’s winning record but could not reshape the squad completely. He has already made additions in Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona and Marc Navarro from Espanyol but also has to prepare for the departure of the club’s star midfielder, Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Josef might not be a like-for-like replacement but certainly comes close to the Frenchman’s area of expertise. The Fenerbahce man is a defensive midfielder who has three caps for Brazil and he is also capable of appearing from the right-back position. Souza made 41 appearances for the Yellow Canaries last season and netted the ball on 4 occasions. He also set up 2 assists to see his side finish in the runners-up spot of the Turkish Super Lig. The Brazilian might not be as impactful as Doucoure on the offensive end but is remarkable at holding down the fort from the central areas.
He wins back possession when required and is capable of providing cover from the wide areas. Souza spent the better part of his footballing career in the Brazilian leagues with various clubs like Vasco da Gama, Gremio and Sao Paulo.
He has racked up 134 total appearances for the Turkish giants and has 5 Brazil youth team caps. The midfielder has gained loads of top-flight experience after making his way over to Europe in 2015.
Watford could use a midfield presence like Souza to better implement Gracia’s tactics onto the pitch. However, is he worth the asking price set by Fenerbahce? No! At 29, Josef De Souza has absolutely no experience in the Premier League. The Golden Bhoys already have Tom Cleverley, Etienne Capoue, Nathaniel Chalobah and Will Hughes in the side other than Doucoure.
There is a host of holding midfielders in the domestic stage or in other corners of Europe who could be cheaper and still has more years left in his boots.
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While De Souza is a competent figure in Turkish football, there is no guarantee that he will able to justify a £10.5m price tag at Vicarage Road.
