Watford to battle Brighton and Real Madrid in transfer race | OneFootball

Watford and Brighton & Hove Albion are set to battle it out in the summer transfer window to try and sign one of 'the great pearls of Spanish football'.

Both clubs have a solid reputation for picking out unseen gems and turning them into polished diamonds. Brighton have used Chelsea as the world's largest cash machine since they were bought by Todd Boehly, selling off all their young, impressive talent to Stamford Bridge for hundreds of millions worth of profit.

Watford have the likes of Yaser Asprilla on their books; a once unknown winger from the Primera A in Colombia who is now being watched, and admired, by Barcelona.

Now both clubs are looking to rinse and repeat their profit-making process by turning their attention to La Liga, where there is a jewel waiting to be snatched up.

Watford want to sign Adrian Arnuncio

Spanish journalist Jorge C Picon has reported that Arnuncio, who is also known as Arnu, is on the watchlist of Watford and Brighton, and that teams such as Real Madrid also have interest in the forward.

Who is Adrian Arnuncio?

The 16-year-old is yet to play first team football for his club - Real Valladolid - but he has made 14 appearances for their reserves, despite his young age.

He is described as being well suited to teams who transition fast into attacks due to his God-given gifts of pace and power. He is also said to be comfortable using both feet. Reports of his performances in his first season as a professional footballer have been, reportedly, sent across the continent, and attracted the attention of half of it, as per Picon.

Arnu's current release clause is set at just €3 million, but he has a new contract offer on the table from Valladolid. Picon has said that this deal would not only improve the 16-year-old's salary, but that it would also come with the possibility of entering into the first team. The striker's priority is said to be his game time, and he is not opposed to staying with Valladolid.

His contract with the club expires in the summer of 2025.

Adrian Arnuncio would be a big gamble for Watford

The interest in Asprilla means that they don't necessarily have to go out and look for more hidden gems in the transfer market. If Barça comes calling for him, they are likely to get quite a decent slice of pie from that deal that they'd be able to use to improve the squad. Arnuncio wouldn't be the best use of that money.

There's just too much risk associated with it. Valladolid are going to want in excess of €5 million (£4.3 million) if the young forward decides to extend his stay with the club, and there are just much better uses of their money.

Watford are in, they need to be looking at ways to get back to the Premier League.

Obviously, Asprilla was a complete unknown when he arrived, and he has been one of the best players at the club this season, if not the best. But the Hornets were able to sign him for nowhere near that amount of money. That was worth the gamble, this move doesn't seem to be.