Watford's striker pursuit hits major stumbling block | OneFootball

The Hornets were hoping to secure the £1.8m signing of Frantzdy Pierrot this summer, but could face a tough challenge in this quest.

Watford’s move for Haitian striker Frantzdy Pierrot has hit a potential stumbling block.

According to Alan Nixon, the Hornets are concerned about the move for the 29-year-old due to uncertainty surrounding his eligibility for a work permit in the United Kingdom.

It was reported earlier this summer that the Championship club have set their sights on bringing the forward to Vicarage Road during this transfer window.

It has been claimed that the deal could cost just £1.8 million to sign him from Israeli side Maccabi Haifa.

The striker has been with the club since 2022, having also previously played in France, Belgium and the United States.

Watford’s Pierrot chase hits stumbling block

Watford are unsure about pursuing a move to sign Pierrot this summer due to concerns over his ability to attain a work permit.

It is believed that he does not qualify to receive one, and there is a limit on the number of players in your squad that can be accommodated for when that happens.

The Hornets are unsure whether to pursue a move, which has put the potential deal on hold for the time being.

The transfer window remains open until 30 August, giving the club plenty of time remaining to make a final decision on the matter.

But Tom Cleverley’s preference will surely be to conclude any transfer business as quickly as possible this summer in order to be ready for the upcoming Championship campaign, which gets underway next month.

This is Cleverley’s first summer in charge of the Hornets, having taken over as permanent manager in the closing weeks of the previous campaign.

He will be looking to build a team capable of improving on their 15th-place finish in the table last season.

But they may need to go back to the drawing board to search for alternative targets to improve their attacking options.

Watford’s summer business so far

It has been a busy start to the summer window at Vicarage Road, with Moussa Sissoko re-signing for the club as a free agent.

The Frenchman departed Nantes at the end of the previous campaign, leading to his Hornets return, having been with the team during 2021/22.

Rocco Vata has also joined the Hornets, signing after departing Celtic following the end of his contract at Parkhead.

Mamadou Doumbia has also joined the club, with goalkeeper Jonathan Bond also making the move to Vicarage Road.

Watford can’t waste time on someone they won’t sign

If Watford are not going to sign Pierrot then they should decide that quickly and move on to other targets.

While the 29-year-old may be a preferred target, there isn’t a lot they can do at the moment if he won’t be able to take a spot in the squad.

They could look to sell players to try and open up a place, but there are no guarantees that buyers will emerge in those instances.

This is an unfortunate consequence of the new rules, but Cleverley's side may have to face reality and move on to new options as they can’t afford to wait around for something to happen.