Both Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion are keen on moves for Watford striker Troy Deeney during the January transfer window.
It looks like it is going to be a crucial final couple of weeks of the window for the Potters and the Baggies. Both teams find themselves in the Premier League’s bottom three and will be hoping that the market can provide the inspiration to lift them out of the relegation zone.
Alan Pardew’s men’s biggest problem has certainly been scoring goals, with just 18 strikes coming in their opening 23 games – so it may have come as little surprise to Baggies fans when HITC Sport exclusively reported last week that Deeney was their number one striker target.
Meanwhile, Stoke have hardly been much better in front of goal as they currently average one strike per game. And the Star is now reporting that they are plotting to go up against West Brom for Deeney’s signature.
The Star adds that both teams may get a boost in their pursuit of the 29-year-old, as Hornets boss Marco Silva wants to sign Islam Slimani from Leicester City and could be willing to sell some of his current forwards to make room for the Algerian.
Given that Deeney has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter for Watford this season, he may well feel that Slimani’s arrival – if it does look set to happen – could push him slightly closer to the exit, and that may leave Stoke and West Brom to battle it out over a deal that would surely see one strike a psychological blow in the battle to stay up.
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