According to a report from Football.London, Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a huge blow in the race to sign Ismaila Sarr of Watford. It was stated that newly promoted Nottingham Forest could hijack Spurs’ plans of bringing him to North London as they are plotting their own move for getting him aboard as his contract at Vicarage Road expires in the summer of 2024. Although any side interested in acquiring him would have to pay in the region of £40 million as Watford want to recuperate the amount they paid for him.
Sarr’s Impressive Numbers For Watford This Season
Sarr is having a decent campaign with the Hornets as he has continued to perform at a high level on the right side of their attack. The 24-year-old has registered six goals and five assists in 21 matches for Watford this season on all fronts.
The Senegal international has given a good account of himself in the final third based on his average of 2.1 shots, 0.9 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per 90 minutes in the EFL Championship. He has even been tidy when distributing the ball from the back after making 81.5% of his attempted passes in the second tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
Should Tottenham Hotspur Boss Antonio Conte Look Elsewhere?
Sarr excels at getting past the opposition’s backline by making use of his pace and agility. He is adept at striking the ball with power and accuracy from a long range and remains a decent dribbler with the ball. The Hornets ace is primarily a right-sided wide player but can also play on the left wing or as a striker down the middle, this versatility across the frontline remains his key selling point.
Furthermore, the Senegalese forward is a good playmaker in the final third as he often sets up his teammates with clear-cut goal-scoring chances in the final third. However, he has to find a way to be more consistent if he wishes to play at a high level and return to the Premier League.
At 24, Sarr’s best years are still ahead of him, so he can definitely improve his game even further and bring more quality into the field. However, with Nottingham Forest joining the race it would be difficult for the Lilywhites to convince him as Forest could offer him more playing time because Antonio Conte has several attackers at his disposal at North London. So Conte should look for other alternatives to bolster his strike force just in case the Watford ace decides to go elsewhere.