How Watford FC have reacted to Burnley launching £10m transfer bid | OneFootball

After just one season at Vicarage Road, Mamadou Doumbia is wanted by a top flight club for big money

Watford have turned down a bumper bid from Premier League returnees Burnley for teenage striker Mamadou Doumbia.

The Hornets for many years have trodden down unfamiliar scouting lines - especially for a Championship club - with their recruitment network scouring the entire world, and it has thrown up gems that have been sold on for big money.

Richarlison, Joao Pedro, Yaser Asprilla and Pervis Estupinan are just some of the names that were picked up and had a lot of profit made on them in the past, and Doumbia could potentially be next in-line.

The huge bid Watford FC have turned down from Burnley for Mamadou Doumbia

Watford landed the services of Doumbia in early 2024 from AS Black Stars in Mali, having starred for his country at youth level - he'd netted four times at the Under-17 World Cup and scored the same amount in just five matches at the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations in 2023, leading to Watford's pursuit.

A six-year deal was penned by the left-footed striker to begin in July 2024, and he was immediately thrown into Tom Cleverley's first-team squad in Hertfordshire, making his debut against MK Dons in the EFL Cup just a month after officially joining.

Doumbia was a bit-part player and was blooded in very slowly for the first half of the season, but by February 2025 he was leading the line for Watford - even after Vakoun Bayo returned from a three-match ban, and he ended the season with two goals from his 19 Championship appearances.

One of those goals was a thumping header against Burnley in a 2-1 defeat at Vicarage Road, and the Clarets hierarchy were clearly impressed at the 5-cap Mali international that day, as they have submitted a huge £10 million offer for the 19-year-old, according to the Watford Observer.

It is a transfer offer however that has been snubbed by the ambitious board at Watford, who want to keep Doumbia at the club and offer him a new contract, despite the fact he still has five years remaining on his current one.

New head coach Paulo Pezzolano has Doumbia and new signing Vivaldo Semedo to choose from up-front currently, but they will soon be joined by Danish forward Luca Kjerrumgaard, who will join fellow Pozzo club Udinese from OB before being loaned to Vicarage Road.

Watford FC should surely consider Mamadou Doumbia bids if Burnley return with higher offer

Whilst Watford's Doumbia stance is admirable, it's a lot of money to turn down for a Championship club with no parachute payments anymore.

Gino Pozzo's scouting network and recruitment policy has always been intriguing, and Watford have showed that even as a Championship club, they can scour South America and Africa for young talents to develop and then sell on.

Doumbia is the latest in a long line that have arrived at Watford and have attracted interest quickly - the Malian youngster has developed quite quickly and gained a lot of experience leading Tom Cleverley's line in the final three months of 2024-25, and there's a chance he could explode in his second season in England.