The 22-year-old made a stunning start to life with Watford after Everton and West Ham failed to turn their interest into something more concrete.
Talk about making an impact. The Premier League may have seen some spectacular debuts in its time but Mbaye Niang’s top flight bow in Watford colours was up there with the best of them.
Curving a gorgeous cross onto the bonce of Troy Deeney for the opener, the former France prodigy then guided the most sublime header into the far corner of Tom Heaton’s net, almost single-handedly consigning Burnley to defeat and making Alan Shearer feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
And, as he Niang tells the club’s official website, the AC Milan loanee is not at Vicarage Road to put himself squarely in the shop window.
In fact, amid interest from two of the top flight’s most traditional, historic clubs, the 22-year-old had no qualms about swapping the might of the San Siro for the rather humble surrounds of Vicarage Road.
“I had other offers, from Everton and West Ham,” Niang said to the club’s official website. “But they did not get to the same level as Watford in terms of how much they wanted me.”
“It was mainly the manager [Walter Mazzarri] who got me here. He was very determined to have me here and it was because of him that I made the decision to come.”
The fact Niang failed to make the grade at Milan is not a reflection on his quality. With pace, power and no little technical quality, the former Caen wonderkid has everything required to make it to the top.
Instead perceived attitude problems meant he hit it off on the wrong foot with new head coach Vincenzo Montella.
However, if he scratches the tip of his potential with Watford, Everton and West Ham could perhaps regret not throwing themselves whole-heartedly into a bid. After all, with Ronald Koeman and Slaven Bilic harbouring lofty ambitions, Niang’s direct running and lightning pace could have added extra edge to their attacks.
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