Reported West Bromwich Albion and Watford target Max Watters is ‘the most valuable striker in England’ with his price-tag rising by the week, Crawley Town’s Technical director Erdem Konyar told the West Sussex County Times.
It is hard to believe the hottest striker in the Football League had barely kicked a ball at professional level until this season.
Because, with 15 goals in 15 games since joining Crawley on a free transfer from Doncaster Rovers, there is only one man in England’s top four divisions who can match Watters when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net right now – Brentford’s Ivan Toney.
The Mail reported last week that West Brom and Watford – two clubs who have struggled for goals in 2020/21 – are keeping a close eye on Watters’ rapid rise.
The 21-year-old justified the interest with a stunning hat-trick in Saturday’s 4-2 triumph over Barrow, just a week after his brace put Mansfield to the sword.
While Crawley will have no choice but to sell if they receive an offer they can’t refuse, all the power is in the Red Devils’ hands.
“On current form we have an inflating price weekly,” Konyar explained.
“I got a call from a club from a higher league last week and they asked how much. I said £1mllion. He laughed me off. He’s got a hat-trick since then. If he rings me today I will say £2 million.
“For me he’s the most valuable striker in England. There is strong interest and from abroad as well.
“If a club comes in and wants to pay him £10k a week, I am not going to be able to match that.
“We have to do what’s the club’s best interests, if we get an offer we can’t refuse, then we will have to look at it.”
Konyar added that, while all clubs in the Football League have been hit hard by an unprecedented financial situation, Crawley are under no pressure to cash in on their star striker any time soon.
Watters has scored more goals himself than West Brom’s entire squad have managed this season, with Karlan Grant, Charlie Austin and Hal Robson-Kanu netting just once in the Premier League between them.
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