Troy Deeney could swap one Premier League side for another with Newcastle United keen, and Bournemouth’s Benik Afobe could replace him at Watford.
Troy Deeney’s long association with Watford could come to an end this month. According to The Daily Mail, the Hornets are open to the idea of selling their club captain and have already identified an ideal replacement.
With Andre Gray now established as Watford’s first-choice striker under manager Marco Silva, Deeney’s importance has been reduced in recent months. He has started just seven Premier League games in 2017/18 and has two goals to his name.
And the report adds that a Newcastle United side desperately in need of an aggressive and potent goal-scoring force in attack have a concrete interest in the long-serving striker; even if Watford’s £20 million price-tag could prove to be beyond their means.
But if Newcastle do manage to strike a deal, the report adds that Watford know exactly who they want to replace Deeney – Bournemouth’s Benik Afobe.
As reported by the BBC, the Cherries paid £10 million to sign Afobe from Championship side Wolves two years ago, but the 24-year-old has not really set the world alight in the Premier League. And with Jermain Defoe, Josh King and Calum Wilson all ahead of him in the pecking order, Afobe has made just five league starts without scoring this season.
But Watford will hope they can get the best out of a striker who scored for fun in the lower leagues with Wolves and MK Dons, his strong build and athleticism possibly proving a good fit for a side who have worked with similar players in the past from Deeney to Stefano Okaka and Odion Ighalo.
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