Watford clinch loan deal for midfield powerhouse: A masterstroke by Gracia?

Sunderland boss, Chris Coleman, has confirmed that Watford would be finally getting the chance to lay their hands on Didier Ndong. The Hornets had been looking to tempt Ndong to make a move to the Vicarage Road, but the two clubs weren’t able to come to an agreement for a long time. However, the situation seems to have been sorted now.

The midfielder will join the Hornets on loan for the rest of the season and one of the latest reports by Hertfordshire Mercury state that Watford would have the option to sign him permanently for £8million at the end of the season. Coleman stated that Ndong was keen to ply his trade in the Premier League and now that he has seen his wish getting fulfilled, he must make the most of it.

Ndong is an effective central midfielder who is predominantly a defensive-minded player. He is excellent at reading the game and the way he tackles is quite compelling to watch. This season in the English second division, he has mustered 18 appearances to his name, during which he had made 2.9 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1.6 clearances and 0.3 blocks per game on an average.

The Gabonese international was signed by the Black Cats in the summer of 2016 from Lorient and despite not having a daunting figure, his presence of mind and tactical acumen enable him to be a useful asset for his side in breaking opposition attacking endeavours down. He showcases immense work-ethic and covers a lot of ground, more often than not and has acclimatised to English football pretty well.

Watford, under the stewardship of Javi Gracia, have also added two other players this transfer window in the shape of Gerard Deulofeu and Dodi Lukebakio and have been linked with a host of other players. The Golden Boys are currently placed in the 11th spot on the Premier League table with 26 points to their name from 24 games but with the bottom half of the table so tightly clustered, it will only take a couple of bad weeks for them to start looking nervously over their shoulder.

Merely 3 points separate them from 18th placed Stoke City and no wonder Gracia is looking to make the most of this transfer window. Ndong, at the onset, appears to be a great signing for them and owing to his no-nonsense style of play, he would certainly be able to inject more resilience into Gracia’s side.

Statistics Credits: WhoScored