WATFORD'S RESOLVE TESTED BY PREMIER LEAGUE INTEREST IN ROCCO VATA
Watford winger Rocco Vata is linked with a £20M move to Premier League and European clubs like Crystal Palace and Fulham. His recent agency switch fuels January transfer speculation.
Watford's Irish winger, Rocco Vata, is drawing interest this January. Crystal Palace and Fulham, as well as clubs like Eintracht Frankfurt and Atalanta, are watching the £20 million-rated player.
Watford's season hasn't exactly been smooth.
After sacking Tom Cleverley, they brought in Paulo Pezzolano as head coach this summer. But after just three wins in ten games, he was out too.
Watford has a history of quickly firing head coaches, and this season is no different. Javi Gracia, who previously led the team to an FA Cup final, is now back in charge.
The Hornets are currently 15th after 17 games. Ahead of their Monday match against Birmingham City, The Daily Mail reported that several clubs are tracking Vata for a potential £20 million deal.
Vata, 20, is being watched by clubs as the winter transfer window approaches, according to The Daily Mail.
Interestingly, Vata switched to StormSportsX on Saturday, November 29, leaving CAA Base. He's not the first Watford player to switch agencies recently.
Vata has only started five of his 12 EFL Championship appearances for Watford this season. Now, he's being linked to clubs like Crystal Palace and Fulham, plus Atalanta and Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Irishman's contract runs until the summer of 2028, with Watford able to extend it for another year. He's valued at £20 million, and Watford seems hesitant to sell unless they get a huge offer.
Vata has missed the last four Championship games after getting a serious hamstring injury against Ipswich Town. Gracia said he'll be out for a long time.
Despite this, the rumour mill is starting up, and Watford's resolve might be tested in January for their Irish player.
Vata hasn't had consistent playing time since joining from Celtic FC.
He joined Celtic as a kid in 2012 and worked his way up to the first team.
Though born in Glasgow, Scotland, Vata has played for the Republic of Ireland at every youth level and has made his senior debut, choosing to play for his grandmother's country.
He could have also played for Albania through his father, Scotland through his mother, or Montenegro, where he was born, but he chose Ireland.
Since arriving at Watford in the summer of 2024, where the club paid Celtic a £250k fee, he hasn't secured a regular starting spot.
Only 20 of his 43 Championship appearances have been as a starter, with Kwadwo Baah, Giorgi Chakvetadze, Tom Ince, and Nestory Irankunda also competing for a place.
With a long period on the sidelines expected, Vata won't be able to impress before January, and it might be hard to get back into the team when he returns.
Even though he's only 20, Vata has plenty of time to make his mark in the league when he's fit again. If a move doesn't happen this winter, interest in him will likely return.
Vata has shown flashes of exciting talent, and it's not surprising that other clubs are interested, but he probably won't be sold for £20 million anytime soon.
THE 2030 CLAUSE? INSIDE THE SECRET OPTION IN DAN BALLARD’S NEW SUNDERLAND CONTRACT
Dan Ballard has signed a new contract with Sunderland until 2029, with Florian Ghisolfi hailing him as the club’s ultimate leader.
Florian Ghisolfi can’t say enough good things about Dan Ballard. After the Northern Ireland international put pen to paper on a new contract with Sunderland, Ghisolfi’s praise felt genuine. He called Ballard a true leader, someone who really captures what Sunderland is all about, both on the pitch and in the dressing room, especially now that the club’s back in the Premier League.
Ballard, who’s 26, has signed on to stay at Sunderland until the summer of 2029, with the club having the option to keep him for another year after that.
“Dan represents both the legacy and the future of Sunderland AFC,” Ghisolfi said. “He shows our identity through the way he works, the way he plays, and the attitude he brings every day. He’s grown into a Premier League defender, sure, but what stands out is how he’s stepped up as a leader in the dressing room. We’re proud he shares our ambition. His commitment sends a strong message about what Sunderland stands for and what we’re aiming for.”
Since joining permanently from Arsenal in 2022, Ballard has pulled on the red and white shirt 114 times and found the net eight times. Last season, he scored that unforgettable goal against Coventry City in the Championship play-off semi-final, the one that sent Sunderland to Wembley.
This season’s been another good one for him: 25 appearances in all competitions, along with two goals and a couple of assists.
For Ballard, the decision to stay was simple. “I’m absolutely delighted to sign a new contract,” he said. “As soon as we started talking, it just felt right. I’m really happy I get to stay here longer. Getting promoted last season was unbelievable, and I feel lucky to have been part of some special moments in the club’s recent history. This year, I just wanted to keep my place, work hard every day, and help out as much as I can. I want to keep improving and push the club forward for a long time.”
THE PITCH BAN: WHY KEITH HACKETT WANTS MANAGERS OFF THE GRASS FOR GOOD
Former PGMOL boss Keith Hackett urges the Premier League to ban managers from the pitch after Daniel Farke clashed with officials.
Keith Hackett wants the Premier League to ban managers from stepping onto the pitch after games, and it’s all because of what happened with Daniel Farke against Manchester City.
Leeds United lost 1-0 to Pep Guardiola’s team last Saturday. Honestly, they could have snatched a point; they played better than the score suggests, and you could see Farke’s frustration at full-time.
Earlier in the match, Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed a big chance, leaving Farke stunned, and by the end, tensions were still running high. When the final whistle blew at Elland Road, Farke shook Guardiola’s hand but then broke into a sprint straight for referee Peter Bankes. He clearly wasn’t happy with the officials, and the referee handed him a red card for his reaction.
That’s what really got Hackett going. The former PGMOL chief said he’s had enough of managers storming onto the pitch to confront referees. He told MOT Leeds News the Premier League needs a clear rule: managers should stay off the field after games, especially since they can always talk to officials later behind closed doors.
So far, Farke hasn’t spoken publicly about what happened. People inside Leeds have commented, but he’s stayed quiet.
Now everyone’s wondering if Farke will be on the touchline for the next game against Sunderland. The FA could ban him, but if past cases are anything to go by, he might still be on the sidelines Tuesday. When Arne Slot got a red card after last season’s Merseyside derby, he didn’t serve his two-match ban until two weeks later. Managers get a different process than players, so Slot stayed in the dugout until the ban came through.
If the FA follows a similar timeline, Farke might not find out his fate until just before Leeds play Crystal Palace away on March 14, or maybe before Brentford at home on the 21st. Then again, not every red card leads to a touchline ban. Earlier this season, Wolves’ Vitor Pereira got sent off for angrily kicking a ball, but he just got fined. That took two weeks too, so there’s a good chance Farke will be on the bench against Sunderland.
Still, Farke’s confrontation with the referee looked a lot more like Slot’s case than Pereira’s, so a ban feels likely, but for now, nothing’s certain.
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