Record-breaking £30m Watford FC transfer was worth it but it must frustrate | OneFootball

Ismaila Sarr spent four years at Vicarage Road, joining the club in 2019.

Watford FC's 2019/20 campaign was full of promise after a strong summer transfer window, but it ended in disaster as they were relegated back to the Championship for the first time since 2015.

The Hornets brought the likes of Craig Dawson and Danny Welbeck to add good Premier League experience to the squad, while Tom Dele-Bashiru brought new energy and youth.

However, the signing of Ismaila Sarr from French club Stade Rennais for a club record £30m was the most exciting, and there was a lot of expectation on the shoulders of the then-21-year-old to help the team in their fight against relegation.

Despite the arrival of the winger, positive results were hard to come by, and Watford were relegated to the second tier, but with one of the strongest teams the division has seen over the course of the last decade.

Ismaila Sarr lived up to his price-tag at times

Through no fault of his own, Sarr had a lot of pressure to perform from the off, and the opening months of the season were difficult for both his team and himself personally.

The Hornets lost six of their opening 11 games in the Premier League, drawing the other five, and the winger had failed to register a goal or an assist during this time.

He finally got off the mark against Southampton, scoring the opener before the home side came from behind to win 2-1. However, things were starting to get better for the Senegal star.

Two more goals and his first two assists followed before Watford faced Liverpool at Vicarage Road, with the visitors still unbeaten in the league at that point. The Hertfordshire club were not given much of a chance in the February 2020 clash, but Sarr showed why he had been signed for such a high fee.

He found the back of the net twice and picked up an assist as the Hornets beat the league leaders 3-0 in a famous victory, with the young forward stealing the show.

However, his side struggled to recover from their poor start, and results dived once again, leading to their relegation. Nevertheless, Sarr was able to impress in his first season in the Championship, scoring 13 goals and registering five assists as his side made an instant return to the top flight.

Sarr was sold for less than supporters may have hoped for

Despite winning promotion back to the Premier League, the test proved extremely difficult once again. All five of his strikes came in his first 12 appearances before injuries, the Africa Cup of Nations and inconsistent performances saw him struggle to add to his tally.

Watford lost eight of their last nine games, drawing only against Everton, with a 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace relegating them with three games still to go.

With Sarr's potential, it was perhaps a shock to see him return to the Championship with the Hornets, but he set about to help the team to another promotion. However, results were not good enough, and although the winger was a constant threat, the team found consistency difficult.

They finished the 2022/23 campaign 11th in the table, meaning that they would play in the second tier for a consecutive season for the first time in a decade. It was obvious that keeping hold of Sarr was going to be near impossible, and he was signed by Marseille in the summer of 2023 for an initial £9.5m.

Watford lost a lot of money on the once-promising youngster, but if they were still in the Premier League they may have been able to sell him on for more. Their failure to win promotion back instantly will always be a regret for the club and supporters, and it is likely that the Hertfordshire side would have recouped more of the fee that they spent on the 26-year-old.