Watford man 'a monitored player' ahead of summer transfer window, confirms director

Watford often look abroad to recruit new young talents and in January 2022, they signed attacking midfielder Asprilla from Colombian side Envigado. He was loaned back there for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign but since then, he’s become increasingly important at Vicarage Road and is now the Hornets’ prized asset. Asprilla is a four-time Colombia international and his return of six goals and seven assists in 44 games this season is his best to date. Image courtesy of: AGUSTIN MARCARIAN/REUTERS. Interest in the 20-year-old has emerged before with Everton, Sporting Lisbon and even Barcelona said to be on his trail. Now, Watford director Gianluca Nani has confirmed the state of play ahead of the summer window. Speaking with Tutto Mercato Web, Nani has said Asprilla is ‘a monitored player’ but he must remain focused on on-pitch matters. He said: “In the meantime, I want to see him on the pitch with us as focused as ever. The summer is long and he is certainly a monitored player. “But today the boy just has to think about playing with us, as he is doing, like so many others.” There’s no hiding that Asprilla is a big prospect with a bright future ahead of him. It seems highly likely that the Watford ace will go on to play at a high level in the years to come, but only time will tell when that is, and where that step up will come. One thing for sure is that the Hornets should make a healthy profit on Asprilla. He was signed as a teenager and now, as a capped Colombian international and top Championship prospect, the versatile attacking midfielder looks to be a top prospect. As Nani says though, Watford will be keen to ensure that Asprilla maintains his focus on the present and the task at hand at Vicarage Road for as long as he remains at the club. Tom Cleverley’s side sit 15th in the Championship table as it stands. The threat of relegation is a very narrow one but it will take a vast upturn in form and favourable results elsewhere if they’re to finish in the top half.