Watford FC & Leeds United in transfer talks for 6-goal Swiss midfielder | OneFootball

Leeds United and Watford are two of the clubs in talks to sign 22-year-old Swiss attacking midfielder Natan Girma from Serie B side Reggiana.

That is according to Italian outlet Il Resto Del Carlino, who claim that Girma's current employers are wanting a fee of between £2.5million and £3.5million for his services, and that there is also competition from Serie A outfit Monza as well.

It's reported that the 6ft 3in attacking midfielder has held talks with both Leeds United and Watford about a potential move to the Championship, and whilst Reggiana don't want to lose their star player, the club are aware that a move abroad could tempt Girma.

The Italian outfit finished 11th in Serie B last season, and with interest from both Leeds United and Watford, along with Serie A side Monza, they could struggle to keep hold of the 22-year-old this summer.

Leeds United and Watford face competition in Natan Girma battle

The 2023/24 campaign was Girma's first season at Serie B level, and the the young Swiss midfielder thrived, making 29 appearances in all competitions for Reggiana, scoring six goals and registering three assists.

The 22-year-old has been in Italian football since the beginning of the 2021/22 season, but had previously played lower league football in Serie D for Sona Calcio, before joining Reggiana in the summer of 2023.

Despite the big step-up, Girma wasn't phased and performed well, which has subsequently led to interest from Leeds United, Watford and Monza.

After just one season at Serie B level, it could be a risky move for Leeds or Watford to sign him, with the Championship being a slightly higher standard of football and especially with his club demanding a substantial fee of between £2.5million and £3.5million, per the initial report.

However, Girma proved he was capable of making the jump from Serie D to Serie B last summer, and there's no reason why he couldn't do the same if he moved to the Championship.

The 22-year-old is highly-rated by those in Italy, and he's clearly doing something right to have interest from a number of high-profile clubs.

It's not unfair to say that signing Girma would be something of a punt for the interested Championship duo, but he looks like a player with plenty of potential and if he continues on his current trajectory, there's no reason why he couldn't be a future star in the Championship.

Leeds United and Watford will need to sign a number 10 this summer

Leeds United primarily used both Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter in the 10 role last season, but neither of them are 10's naturally, so it seems as if Daniel Farke is looking to fix that problem this summer.

Leeds currently have a very strong squad, but they are set to lose players in the coming months after failing to win promotion, and they'll subsequently need to replace those players, but may not be able to go out and splash big cash, meaning signing someone like Girma for between £2.5million and £3.5million could be a decent option.

Tom Cleverley at Watford will also be aware that he needs to bolster his squad this summer, and despite having Giorgi Chakvetadze on their books, the likely departure of Yaser Asprilla means that there's a need to sign an attacking midfielder this summer.

With a number of clubs interested in Girma, it won't be easy for either club to sign him, and it could come down to money or the guarantee of regular playing time. However, the Swiss midfielder isn't short of choice and faces a big summer as he looks to make the next step in his career.