It's tough trying to sign new players when you appear to be on a
one-way street to relegation, but Watford are having problems persuading their best player
to go.
The Hornets
are 10 points adrift of safety, with just 12 from 21 games this season, and while Aidy
Boothroyd's side has shown plenty of spirit and endeavour, there has been none of the
quality needed to survive in the Premiership.
That, you
would think, would give star striker Ashley Young every excuse he needed to leave Vicarage
Road.
Yet the 21-year-old has rejected the chance to even talk to West Ham after Watford
accepted a £9.65 million offer for the youth international on Monday.
The fact that
West Ham are themselves embroiled in a relegation battle perhaps made Young's decision a
little easier, but the Hammers' resources mean they have every chance of pulling clear. Watford
do not.
It may be
that Young is waiting for the likes of Tottenham or Aston Villa to make good on their
reported interest, but as welcome as it might appear at first, his decision to snub West
Ham does Watford no favours.
Boothroyd has
repeatedly said he would not sell Young until the player told him he wanted to go.
Only last
week he said: "There are players out there who have gone for £8m-plus who do not
have what he has. Ashley is the trump card in the Premiership. There are not many
players outside the top four clubs who are better than him."
Yet the young
manager would gladly have swapped Young for a fat cheque from Upton Park.
Young has scored only four goals in 23 appearances this season. For a club which has lost
Marlon King to a season-ending injury, that is not enough.
Young's value
is all in his potential, and that is a luxury a club like Watford cannot afford to invest
in right now.
The nearly
£10 million West Ham were offering would be of far more use spent on three or four
players who could strengthen their squad and help them build, if not for a survival
battle, then for another promotion campaign next season.
Whether Watford
get another offer to match West Ham's is in doubt.
Tottenham are
believed to have made an approach, but offered only a fraction of the sum West Ham were
ready to spend, instead including defender Calum Davenport and winger Wayne Routledge ?
who is on loan at Fulham ? as part-exchange.
But that deal
was a non-starter as neither Davenport nor Routledge were willing to climb aboard Watford's
sinking ship.
Aston Villa
has Randy Lerner's millions to spend, but Manager Martin O'Neill has insisted he will not
be duped into paying over the odds just because selling clubs know of the financial
backing he has.
O'Neill can
get another look at Young on Saturday when Watford visit Villa Park. Young will no doubt
be in the starting 11, but he will struggle to make much impact with quality support, and
that is why WagerWeb.com has Watford as +450 outsiders to grab all three points.
The odds on Watford
having added any of that much-needed quality by Saturday also lengthened on Monday when it
was confirmed that Fulham striker Collins John has joined the list of players to reject a
move to the Hertfordshire club.
The Cottagers
accepted a £3.25 million bid for the striker, but the Dutchman promptly rejected the move
even though he has been told he has no future at Craven Cottage.
Boothroyd
said: "I've spoken to his representatives, and he said at this point in time it's a
no.
"I think
there is still some hope but I'm looking at other options."
Life isn't
easy at the wrong end of the table.
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