Watford Opinion: Signing Cristian Zapata for free could be a massive coup for the Hornets

According to latest reports from Italian news outlet Calciomercato, Watford and Everton are interested in signing AC Milan’s out-of-contract centre-back Cristian Zapata in the summer transfer window.

The 32-year-old Colombian international has refused to put pen to paper on a new one-year deal at San Siro and has demanded a two-year contract but Milan’s Cheif Executive Ivan Gazidis is reluctant to offer such terms to players above the age of 30. (h/t Calciomercato)

Zapata has been a part of AC Milan’s side for the last seven seasons but his time at San Siro is nearing its end, following a contract stand-off with the club.

Calciomercato understands that Turkish giants Fenerbahce, as well as Brazilian giants Flamengo,  are prepared to sign the highly-experienced centre-back on a free transfer this summer.

Regarded as one of the best centre-backs in Europe in his younger days, Zapata has made a total of 148 appearances for the Rossoneri in all competitions till date, scoring 5 goals and assisting a further 6 in the process. He has made 20 appearances for Milan in all competitions this season, including 12 starts in the Serie A.

A full international for Colombia since 2008, Zapata has represented his nation at the 2011, 2015 and 2016 editions of the Copa America, as well as at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups. He has been capped 56 times by his nation over the course of his illustrious and distinguished career in international football.

To put things into perspective, Cristian Zapata is nearing the twilight of his career at the highest level but he still has plenty of gas left in his tank to play in the Premier League. Of course, he would not play week-in-week-out given his age but few can deny that he is a top-quality defender, who can still be a useful squad player for any English club.

While Everton can look at him as someone who could possibly add depth to their defensive options, following the potential return of loanee Kurt Zouma to Chelsea and the exit of Phil Jagielka, Zapata can also be a good addition to Watford’s defensive ranks. However, the Hornets might have an upper hand in this deal given that Zapata spent six years at Udinese, a club which is also owned by the Pozzo family.

Watford have earned plenty of plaudits for their impressive performances in the Premier League this season but their pursuit of a Europa League qualification spot ended in disappointment, with Javi Gracia’s side finishing 11th in the standings. However, they still have a chance of securing European football next season if they manage to beat Man City in the FA Cup finals tomorrow.

The Hornets can take a lot of heart from the performances of Gerard Deulofeu, Troy Deeney, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Jose Holebas, Etienne Capoue and a few others but they need to sort out their problems at the back. They ended up conceding 59 goals this past season, more than the likes of Everton, Leicester City, Wolves and West Ham, and they cannot afford to do that next term if they are really serious about closing the gap on the top-six.

The likes of Christian Kabasele, Adrian Mariappa and Craig Cathcart have all had plenty of regular minutes with varying degrees of success, often leaving a lot to be desired in terms of marking and positioning. Sebastian Prodl and Miguel Britos have hardly played a role and Watford should consider getting them off their books to accommodate Zapata, who can be an upgrade on them even at 32.

Quick across the ground and very strong in the air, Zapata is not only a physically-dominating centre-back but he is equally good with his reactions, anticipation and game-reading ability.

Known for his athleticism, the Colombian is never afraid to put his body on the line and often rescues his team with crucial blocks and tackles. He has earned plenty of plaudits for his tight marking of the opposition’s strikers over the years and it is not difficult to see why he could be a smart addition to Watford’ ranks.

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That said, Watford should look to try and beat Everton to the signature of Cristian Zapata and getting a player of his calibre on board for absolutely nothing would be a massive coup.