Watford confirm signing of Turkish international midfielder
Premier League new boys Watford have confirmed the signing of Fenerbahce midfielder Ozan Tufan on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy.
Tufan featured at Euro 2020 with Turkey as they didn’t meet expectations in Group A.
He has 63 caps for his country – scoring nine goals – and a great deal of top-flight experience.
The most expensive transfer ever for each age from 13-36
Last term for Fenerbahce he scored six and assisted ten in 37 Super Lig appearances.
The 26-year-old is a versatile player who mostly operates as a defensive-minded midfielder.
Watford claim to ‘have beaten a host of Premier League and European clubs to Tufan’s signature’ on their official website.
The Hornets started their 2021/22 in impressive fashion; defeating Aston Villa 3-2 at Vicarage Road.
Debutant Emmanuel Dennis, Ismaila Sarr and Cucho Hernandez were on the scoresheet in the win.
Elsewhere, the Watford Observer claim Sarr won’t push for a move to Liverpool this summer after a report emerged on Wednesday that the winger ‘asked to leave’ the club.
TransferMarketWeb claimed the Reds were readying a £40million offer for the 23-year-old, but the Watford-based outlet have shut down these rumours.
They say Watford ‘remain adamant the player is not for sale’ and that ‘club sources have confirmed there has been no contact from anyone’ at Liverpool or any other club for the Senegal international.
The Watford Observer adds ‘there is no desire from the player to push for a move at this stage in his career, having only just returned to the Premier League with the Hornets.’
Speaking about interest in Sarr last summer, Watford technical director Filippo Girardi revealed just how close he came to leaving.
“We were extremely close, I was personally negotiating with them [Manchester United],” Girardi told Fabrizio Romano on the Here We Go podcast.
“We weren’t able to reach an agreement. Ismaila is still very young, he will arrive [in the Premier League] for sure.
“He missed probably an opportunity, but I think also for his football to stay here and get 10 goals and 10 assists, he’s deciding the league.
“I think for Watford in the condition they are at the moment it’s lucky he stayed.”
