Why Watford should make a move for Stanislav Lobotka in January

Back in January, Watford were interested in signing Celta Vigo midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, but a deal didn’t materialise.

Stanislav Lobotka, 24, started his professional career back in Slovakia with Trencin before making a move to Danish club Nordsjaelland in 2015. He earned rave reviews and caught the eye with his impressive performances in Denmark, which subsequently earned him a move to La Liga club Celta Vigo in 2017.

The Slovakian international was a rare bright spark last season as Celta Vigo narrowly avoided the drop from the La Liga. With Lobotka being a consistent performer for Celta, Watford shouldn’t hesitate to reignite their interest in the midfielder when the transfer market reopens.

Watford would need new recruits to get their faltering Premier League campaign back on track. They lie rock bottom in the table, having not yet won a single game so far this season.

Quique Sanchez Flores, who was reappointed at the expense of Javi Gracia, is already under pressure, with the Hornets struggling to climb the table.

While Etienne Capoue has been one of the pivots of Flores’ 4-2-3-1 system, Abdoulaye Doucoure has largely underwhelmed with his performances under him.

Doucoure has looked like a shadow of his former self, failing to produce the performances which made him one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the league last season.

Clearly, Watford do need fresh faces and legs in the middle of the park, and Stanislav Lobotka does fit the bill.

Lobotka has established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in La Liga, where his energetic and combative performances have caught the eye.

He is a stocky, powerful and nippy player who boasts of excellent passing range and tackling traits. Blessed with good vision and intelligence, the 24-year-old often finds the right pass to set the tone of the attacking moves.

Known for his combativeness and tough-tackling nature, the Slovakian will shield Watford’s sandcastle backline, whilst adding steel to the midfield with his stamina, passing and work rate. Furthermore, Lobotka excels with his ability to cut out attacks and win back possession with his tenacity and tireless running.

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All in all, he could be an upgrade over the ageing Capoue, who like Doucoure, has struggled to control games from the middle of the park for the Hornets.

Verdict

The tough-tackling Lobotka appears to be a perfect fit for the hustle and bustle of the Premier League. Hence, Watford must start making plans from now to sign the Slovakian enforcer in January before he attracts too much attention from elsewhere.