Gregoire Defrel has struggled since joining Roma from Serie A rivals Sassuolo, but Premier League strugglers Watford are still prepared to pay big.
Life just goes on for Watford. Less than 24 hours had passed after Marco Silva was shown the door after a remarkable decline in form when Javi Gracia had been signed up as his replacement.
And just three days after that, reports have broken in Italy suggesting that Watford have made a bid that would break their transfer record.
It is understood that Watford would want to sign the Frenchman on loan until the summer before making the deal permanent. But they might have to put far more money on the table to tempt Roma into a sale, particularly as star striker Edin Dzeko looks set to sign for Chelsea.
Roma paid about £16 million to sign the versatile Defrel from Sassuolo in the summer but he is yet to show the kind of form that saw him score 12 Serie A goals last season.
The 26-year-old is yet to find the net in the league for the Giallorossi and has made just three starts, falling behind the likes of Diego Perotti and Stephane El Shawaary in the pecking order.
But Watford obviously believe he would be an upgrade on the likes of Troy Deeney and current record signing Andre Gray, who has struggled for goals since signing from Burnley.
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