Gillingham must revisit Watford for fresh transfer agreement to really excite supporters: View | OneFootball

After a frustrating season in 2023-24, Gillingham are looking to bring the good times back to Priestfield as new boss Mark Bonner targets key additions to the squad in a bid to build a promotion-winning side.

And if the club wanted to rediscover the feel-good factor that helped power the club to a strong start to last season, they could do much worse than bring back a player whose fleeting appearances in a Gills shirt last term gave the fans some of the most exciting moments of the season.

When Colombian forward Jorge Cabezas Hurtado was announced as a loan signing for the club back on February 1, the most common reaction from the fans was, “Jorge who?” But the 20-year-old loanee from Watford did something few Gills players have managed in recent years – he got the fans out of their seats.

Hurtado may only have made three substitute appearances for the Gills before suffering a season-ending knee injury, but he arguably did more to excite the fans in those brief 76 minutes in a Gills shirt than the rest of the club’s forwards mustered across the entire season.

Hurtado a lower league Asprilla

The reason? His energy. Hurtado’s pace and direct running, coupled with his flamboyant style, made him an instant hit with the Gillingham faithful, with his third appearance for the Gills – a 45-minute showing in a 2-2 draw with Swindon Town – his best, but sadly last, appearance in a Gills shirt last season.

Ironically, it was Hurtado’s best moment that directly led to him being injured, as he picked up the ball in the middle third and proceeded to charge through the Swindon team before being cynically cut down inside the penalty area. His run evoked memories of Colombian legend Faustino Asprilla and, just like “Tino” often did for the likes of Parma and Newcastle United, Hurtado had the fans on their feet in appreciation.

It won the Gills a penalty, and provided a crucial goal, but it also left Hurtado injured as he limped off the field at the end of the game. It was later revealed that he had sustained a cruciate ligament injury and he returned to his parent club Watford, who shipped him off to Madrid for surgery.

There were faint hopes that Hurtado might return to ME7 to spark a late charge for the League Two play-offs, but the run-in came too soon for him, and Gillingham’s season petered out to eventually finish in 12th.

Hurtado and Gillingham: A perfect match

The mere mention of a possible return for Hurtado last season had the fans brimming with excitement. But now, after successful surgery, and with Hurtado’s loan spell in Kent cut cruelly short last year, the door could potentially be open to a return, if the two clubs were still keen on the idea.

Loan spells are designed to do one of two things: prepare a player for a career at a higher level by giving them first-team experience, or allow the player the chance to drop levels in a bid to find a permanent landing spot for their career. In either scenario, a season-long loan at Priestfield could be just the ticket for all concerned.

For Watford, it gives them the chance to see their young prospect in a strong outfit at League Two level across a full campaign, while for Hurtado, it’s an opportunity to return to a club he enjoyed playing for, and a fanbase that took to him instantly. And, for Mark Bonner and Gillingham, it’s the perfect loan signing to immediately bolster the front line, while also giving the fans a cult hero figure to cheer on once again.

The fact that a deal was done to bring him to Priestfield last year proves that another loan deal is certainly within the club’s capabilities. If they did loan him again, it’s a virtual guarantee that there will be plenty of Gills fans with the name “Hurtado” on the backs of their replica shirts at the start of next season.

And with Gillingham set to face Hurtado's parent club Watford in a pre-season friendly at Priestfield on Saturday, July 20, the big question now is whose colours will he be wearing?