CONFIRMED 1st team squad only so far: Ins: Ince (Reading) Healey (Toulouse) Martins (Back on loan) Bayo (Back from loan) Outs: Pedro (Brighton) Cleverly (Retired) Ekong (PAOK - Greece) Quina (Udinese) Gasper (Contract cancelled) Assombalonga (Released) Cathcart (Released) Bacuna (Released) Jesus, season starts in just over 3 weeks. I think the transfer window shuts on 1st September mind. Is that right? 4 games in. Wish I hadn't had a sneaky peek!
I've seen various figures quoted re how much we paid for him, ranging from €3m to €6m - not to mention "undisclosed fee" from the club - but he hasn't justified any of them. It would be just typical if he were to succeed at Udinese...
I wonder if the club are going to promote the younger players as fans hope to see more of them and say well "we are giving them a chance" Surely going to get 3/4 more in though just to boost squad strength. Of course probably won't then start badly and Ismael will be blamed.
We shouldn't forget that Ismael said he didn't want a huge squad, he would prefer to have a core of players that he could work with.
Good point - too many times in the recent past we've had players doing little other than taking turns to warm the bench. Can't help thinking that we should approach Celtic about loaning back that CD they signed from our U21s - Bosun Lawal. Still highly thought of there but unable to break into the first team.
Ins: Ince (Reading) Healey (Toulouse) Martins (Back on loan) Bayo (Back from loan) Outs: Pedro (Brighton) Cleverly (Retired) Ekong (PAOK - Greece) Quina (Udinese) Gasper (Contract cancelled) Assombalonga (Released) Cathcart (Released) Bacuna (Released) Hungbo (FC Nümberg) Okoye (Udinese) BJesus
Well this might explain a lot if true ! Seems there is a FIFA letter going around talking about some link to an academy and not paying our share to it. No idea - let’s hope it’s sorted quickly but another negative situation we could do without . And does explain a lot ! No doubt the monies owned is actually minimal and we have tried to get away with it .
I tried looking for info on the Academy but couldn't find any. Plenty on others in Nigeria, but this one is a mystery - as is why we would owe them money. The others act as an avenue for youth players there to get into European clubs - can't recollect that we have signed any direct from Nigeria though. Stranger things have happened I suppose, but I'm wondering if it is some sort of scam.
The Academy is a private limited company, that might not be so unusual. https://b2bhint.com/en/company/ng/megamu-football-academy-limited--RC-1764996 What is interesting is the name at the bottom of the letter. If you click on that, you will find he is the legal man behind dozens of companies. I found a similar situation with an English company, that had one executive named on many different companies list of directors. This person was operating a scam. I am not sure if this is a similar situation, but it looks dodgy.
Whoops. Am still sure it's a scam though. https://www.completesports.com/excl...ansfer-ban-on-watford-over-samuel-kalu-issue/
He has played for clubs in Slovakia, Belgium and France before coming to Watford. It seems very odd that an academy is still trying to get money after all this time.
IF the Nigerian article is true, well WHAT A WINDOW!!!! Ins: Ince (Reading) Healey (Toulouse) Martins (Back on loan) Bayo (Back from loan) Pollock (back from loan) Livermore (Free agent) Outs: Pedro (Brighton) Cleverly (Retired) Ekong (PAOK - Greece) Quina (Udinese) Gasper (Contract cancelled) Assombalonga (Released) Cathcart (Released) Bacuna (Released) Hungbo (FC Nümberg) Okoye (Udinese)
