Watford have been linked with Angers forward Nicolas Pepe. Watford have just escaped relegation and will be looking to add sufficient players to the side to provide a boost to their chances in the next season.
Walter Mazzarri has been relieved of his managerial duties after a very poor season and Marco Silva has been hired to lead the Hornets in the next season. Pepe is only 22 years old and has emerged as a target for a number of clubs. The Ivory Coast international was called to the national team in the African Cup Of Nations but hadn’t been used in a single match.
Newcastle United are also reportedly targeting the player as Rafa Benitez would be looking towards some new exciting talents as they go into the Premier League next season and Pepe is one of them. The Spaniard boss is believed to be a keen admirer of the forward and would go to any extent to bring him to St James Park as soon as possible. A bidding war is about to happen as Newcastle will use their hefty pay cheque to make a move for the player.
The forward situation at Watford is a bit unstable now. Previous manager Mazzarri had a row with captain Troy Deeney and as a result, he decided not to include him in the starting lineup for the last few matches. But with Marco Silva arriving at Vicarage Road, Deeney might again regain his position in the transfer lineup.
M’Baye Niang has had chances as the player was on loan from AC Milan. Niang showed some early promise but as the season progressed his development stalled badly. There was a €15m buy-out option for the Hornets in the contract but both the club and the player chose not to trigger it.
Newcastle reportedly had a bid rejected as the player turned down the opportunity to move to St James Park as he was not ready to leave his team in a crisis situation. Angers was struggling at that time as relegation was looming large for them. But now the club earned a respectable position and Pepe might reconsider his decision.
Although his performance has not been that encouraging this term, Silva has the knack of picking players and turning them into finished products. Pepe mainly operates from the right side but can also work up front. It remains to be seen whether Watford remain active in his pursuit or not.
