Watford FC: Wolves might be in a race against time to land Giorgi Chakvetadze after Tom Cleverley statement

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·13 November 2024

Watford FC: Wolves might be in a race against time to land Giorgi Chakvetadze after Tom Cleverley statement

The attacker could soon attract yet more Premier League interest

Watford have enjoyed an impressive start to the season, currently sitting sixth in the Championship table.

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One player who has been a driving force behind that early success for the Hornets is Giorgi Chakvetadze.

After an impressive summer with Georgia at the Euros, the attacker has carried that strong form into the current campaign with Tom Cleverley's side.

Chakvetadze has been a consistent problem for opposition defences, with his pace and incisiveness opening up a consistent string of opportunities for him and his teammates.

That form, though, is not going unnoticed elsewhere, meaning speculation around the Watford man is already starting to emerge ahead of the January transfer window.

Premier League side eyeing Chakvetadze

According to recent reports from journalist Alan Nixon, Wolves are keen to sign Chakvetadze when the window opens at the turn of the year.

It has been a tough start to the season for Gary O'Neil's side, who only won their first league game at the weekend, with a 2-0 victory over fellow strugglers Southampton.

As a result, the Midlands club are currently 19th in the Premier League table, two points from safety after 11 games of the campaign.

It is therefore suggested they are keen to sign the Watford man, to help get them out of trouble in the battle to avoid relegation.

However, it could be argued that recent comments from Cleverley himself, could put more pressure on Wolves to act quickly in their transfer pursuit of Chakvetadze.

Watford boss expecting big things for Chakvetadze

Friday night produced another impressive performance from the Georgia international, as he helped his side to a 1-0 win over Oxford United at Vicarage Road.

The 25-year-old was named Player of the Match by Sky Sports for his efforts in that victory, and after the game, Cleverley was, not surprisingly, also full of praise for his key man.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Watford boss claimed that if Chakvetadze can add goals to his game, he is capable of playing for a top four club.

He’s outstanding. The way he receives the ball under pressure, then drives with it and takes players out the game and creates with his teammates. If Giorgi adds goals to his game, then he’s a top-four player. It’s as simple as that. I’ve never seen someone carry the ball with ease past people and his game intelligence too. He’s a top player. I’ve seen a lot of top players in my career, and he certainly falls into that bracket if he can add goals to his game.

Those comments are something that should surely serve as a warning for Wolves, when it comes to their own interest in the attacker.

With admissions like this from his own manager, it will surely not be long before Chakvetadze is indeed starting to attract attention from clubs at the very top of the Premier League.

That would be a problem for Wolves, given a club at the top of the table who are competing for silverware and European football, is a more appealing destination than one fighting relegation.

Indeed, the extra financial rewards such success brings, also gives those clubs potentially more funds to offer Watford, which could knock the Molineux club out of contention in a bidding war.

Given their predicament though, it seems clear that Wolves are going to need reinforcements at the turn of the year, if they are to have the best chance of staying in the top-flight of English football.

As a result, it would be a sucker punch for them to miss out on an asset such as Chakvetadze, to a side yet to enter the race for him, so they should move quickly to secure his services.

With that in mind, it does feel as though these comments from Cleverley have given Wolves plenty of incentive to make an offer to Watford for Chakvetadze, as soon as the January window opens.