Watford stance on Newcastle United transfer should be clear: View | OneFootball

At the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign, Watford sold left-back Hassane Kamara to Udinese.

Fortunately for the Hornets, they were able to make the most of their relationship with the Italian club to get Kamara back on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

Kamara went on to make 32 appearances in the Championship last season, which, whilst positive, left a gaping hole this summer when he headed for Italy at the end of his loan deal.

It was back to the drawing board for the Hornets in terms of searching for a left-back, and they turned to the Premier League for a solution.

Indeed, out of favour Newcastle United full-back Jamal Lewis was the player the Hornets signed to fill the void, with the Northern Irish international joining on loan from the Magpies for the duration of the 2023/24 season.

The deal, as confirmed at the time of the club's announcement, also includes an option for Watford to sign Lewis permanently this summer.

Given that Newcastle United had paid a reported £15 million for Lewis' signature when they signed him from Norwich City, this felt like a brilliant signing for the Hornets.

Particularly given that Lewis had played and excelled in the division before, and had promotion experience under his belt.

Lewis, for example, had featured 64 times in the Championship prior to this campaign, including 42 in Norwich City's title-winning season in 2018/19.

Watford should not sign Jamal Lewis permanently

Despite that, though, things have not quite turned out how Jamal Lewis nor Watford would have wished.

This, in our mind, should make the Hornets' decision rather straightforward when it comes to whether they make the deal permanent this summer or not.

That decision being that they should not sign Jamal Lewis permanently.

Jamal Lewis has underperformed at Watford

Now, whilst it can certainly be argued that some aspects of the loan deal have been successful for Lewis, overall, his stay at Vicarage Road has been very underwhelming.

The one positive is that he has played plenty of matches - as of this weekend, Lewis has racked up 30 appearances in all competitions - a tally of matches he has not reached since the 2019/20 season.

However, it is Lewis' performances in those matches that have been a problem.

Albeit part of a poor Watford defence capable of very sloppy mistakes, Lewis has simply looked bang average this season.

Okay, at times he has looked decent going forward, contributing to Watford's attack, but defensively, he has looked suspect at times.

Furthermore, on the whole, Lewis has been outshone by his teammate on the opposite flank, young Ryan Andrews, in what is Andrews' first full season in senior football, which says it all about the 26-year-old's performances.

In fact, were it not for the fact that Watford's only other option in the left-back position is James Morris, another young, inexperienced player, you dare say Lewis may have lost his place in the side by now.

Evaluating all of the above, Watford must surely come to the conclusion that Jamal Lewis is not worth signing permanently this summer.

Although no fee has been mentioned with regards to what it would cost the Hornets, one would imagine, given that Lewis signed for £15 million at Newcastle, that it would be a significant seven-figure one.

Furthermore, as per Capology's estimates, Lewis is Watford's highest-paid player this season, which means his financial demands are likely to be there or thereabouts once again next season.

There are so many reasons not to pursue this deal, and very few reasons to do so. As such, Watford's stance on Jamal Lewis' future at the club should be very clear.