Crystal Palace’s pursuit of Will Hughes has hit the buffers with Premier League newcomers Watford rejecting a £5 million bid for the contract rebel midfielder, as reported by the Sun (17 August, page 51).
If Saturday’s 3-2 triumph over Aston Villa is anything to go by, Hughes might not be missed all that keenly at Vicarage Road.
There was no shortage of Hertfordshire hand-wringing after reports emerged stating that the former England U21 international had turned down the chance to extend his contract at the newly-promoted outfit.
Hughes has been offered a new five-year deal at the club he joined for £8 million in 2017. But it seems the string-pulling playmaker has his heart set on a fresh start – a new challenge – elsewhere.
And the Watford supporters might have been fearing the worst as their most influential midfielder was left out of the squad against Villa on Saturday, training with the U23s with just two weeks of the transfer window remaining.
They needn’t have worried.
Tom Cleverley rolled back the years against Dean Smith’s side, forming a fearsome midfield three alongside the monstrous Juraj Kucka and Peter Etebo with that 3-2 score-line flattering the visitors rather than the hosts.
Could Will Hughes be forced to stay at Watford?
There appears to be a real chance that Hughes could be stuck at Vicarage Road after the transfer window shuts on September 1.
Aston Villa were linked earlier in the window but now appear to be looking elsewhere, making a £10 million bid for RC Lens youngster Cheick Doucoure last week.
Newcastle United, meanwhile, have doubts about a player who is rumoured to be valued at £12 million despite the fact that he will become a free-agent in 2022.
According to the Sun, Crystal Palace have made a take-it-or-leave-it offer of £5 million, one that falls well short of Watford’s demands.
It is understood that Palace have no intention of raising that bid either, so we can probably rule out the prospect of Hughes strutting his stuff in Patrick Vieira’s re-modelled Eagles midfield any time soon.
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