Watford are looking to secure the signature of Benfica winger Andre Carrilo next summer on a permanent basis. The Peruvian forward is currently out on loan at Vicarage Road until the end of the season. However, the Hornets are now looking to snap up his services permanently as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of the new campaign. Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira has reportedly revealed that Carrillo is set to complete a €2om move to Watford this summer. The South American wide-man has been a regular feature in the Watford first team during this season despite losing his starting place to Gerard Deulofeu in recent game weeks.
Carrillo has featured in 28 matches for the Hornets this term and has found the back of the net twice in the process. The South American also has two assists to his name so far.
However, he hasn’t started in any of the Hertfordshire outfit’s last three matches. He is highly versatile and can operate on either wing which makes him an ideal asset for the Hornets as they look to establish themselves in the Premier League for years to come.
Watford are currently sitting in 11th place in the Premier League standings with a tally of 30 points in 27 league matches. They are still just four points above the drop zone with just 11 games remaining in this campaign. The Hornets are hoping for a change in fortunes under their new boss Javi Gracia and it is expected that Carrillo will play a big part in their quest to avoid relegation going into the final stretch of the season. The Peruvian has already tested himself at Watford this season and at 26, he still has his peak years ahead of him.
The Lima-born winger used to play for Sporting CP before joining their rivals Benfica on a free transfer in the summer of 2016. He featured in 32 matches for the Portuguese giants, scoring three goals and creating three assists in all competitions before being loaned out to Watford at the start of the current campaign. Hopefully, he is accustomed to the physicality and high intensity of the Premier League and can play his best football at Vicarage Road for the coming years.
A pre-season under their new manager Javi Gracia might get the best out of Carrillo as he looks to establish himself as a regular in the Hornets team. It remains to be seen what lies ahead in the future of the Peru international and whether he ends up extending his stay in the Premier League next summer.
