Why Watford are right to cash in on Roberto Pereyra
According to claims from reputed Italian journalist Nicolo Schira on Twitter, Watford playmaker Roberto Pereyra is on the verge of sealing a return to his former club Udinese.
The insider adds that the Serie A outfit have lined up the 29-year-old as a potential replacement for his Argentine compatriot Rodrigo de Paul, who has been repeatedly linked with a move to Premier League newcomers Leeds United.
Profile
Roberto Pereyra shot to prominence with River Plate in his native Argentina before earning a move to Europe with Italian club Udinese back in the summer of 2011. The versatile attacking midfielder made over 100 appearances for Udinese before joining Juventus on loan a couple of years later.
The 29-year-old completed a permanent move to Juventus following a successful loan spell but was sold to Watford in 2016 after struggling for regular game time. Pereyra has since gone on to make 115 appearances for the Hornets in all competitions, scoring 18 goals and registering 11 assists in the process.
A full international for Argentina since 2014, Pereyra has accumulated 19 senior caps for his nation and represented La Albiceleste in two Copa America tournaments.
Cashing in on Pereyra would make sense for Watford
It has been a summer of transition for Watford, who have already lost some of their high-profile players following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season. The likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Pervis Estupian, and Jose Holebas have already departed Vicarage Road while Ismaila Sarr continues to be linked with a move to Liverpool.
The Hornets are also understood to be in talks with Valencia to offload Etienne Capoue while star winger Gerard Deulofeu remains a target for several top Italian clubs. Suffice to say, Watford are expected to lose the cream of their crop before the deadline next month and Roberto Pereyra is among those likely to seek an exit.
Pereyra hasn’t been a part of new manager Vladimir Ivic’s plans in the Championship so far, which is yet another indication that the playmaker’s days at Watford could be numbered.
Moreover, with Pereyra set to turn 30 in January next year and with his contract at Watford expiring in 2021, it would make perfect sense for the Hornets to cash in on him this summer. That would certainly reduce the burden on their wage bill and fetch some valuable funds to reinvest in improving the squad to launch a bid for automatic promotion.
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Verdict
Watford can’t afford to keep their big-earning stars on the payroll now that they are back to life in the Championship. Roberto Pereyra has been a really good player for the club but the Hornets should be too disappointed to cash in on the 29-year-old and use the money to improve other areas of their squad before the deadline.
