Speaking recently on The Villa View podcast, Dan Bardell discussed the Aston Villa’s potential interest in Watford’s defensive midfielder, Nathaniel Chalobah.
Since joining Watford from Chelsea in what was a £5.67 million deal back in 2017, Chalobah has gone on to make 87 appearances for the Hornets, chipping in with six goals and providing two assists along the way.
Last season, the 25-year-old made 22 Premier League appearances, scoring no goals and providing one assist, averaging 1.4 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 15.7 passes per game in the league, culminating in a disappointing WhoScored match rating of 6.41 – ranking him as the club’s 16th best performer in a season that ended in relegation to the Championship.
Back in January 2019, it was reported that Villa were considering making a loan offer for Chalobah, although, nothing eventually came of this alleged interest.
However, speaking recently on The Villa View podcast, Dan Bardell said that there could be interest from Villa in the midfielder once again this summer.
He said: “I think Chalobah might be one to keep an eye on, at Watford, because I think he’s someone that Dean Smith wanted before when we were in the Championship.
“He ticks the box of having Premier League experience, he’s probably someone that could come in and out of the side, he came through that Chelsea academy as well. I think he’d probably be one to keep an eye on as the window moves on.
“He’d be one I wouldn’t be surprised to see through the door, Chalobah, and again, I think he’d be a sensible signing, [he] wouldn’t break the bank. I think he’s possibly only got one or two years left on his contract. He’s played for England, hasn’t he? Gareth Southgate is a massive fan of Chalobah.
“I think if Chalobah comes and plays every week in the Premier League, there’s probably a place in and around the England squad for him because Southgate rates him very, very highly.
“He’d just be one, personally, that I would keep an eye on because I know he’s someone that we wanted before when we were in the Championship.”
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TIF Thoughts…
Considering the fact that Chalobah only made 10 Premier League starts for a side that finished in the bottom three of the league last season, as well as the fact that his average WhoScored match rating of 6.41 ranked him as Watford’s 16th best player last term, Bardell’s talk of Chalobah being in and around the England squad with regular Premier League football does seem a little far fetched at present.
However, considering the fact that Chalobah is only currently valued at £4.32 million by Transfermarkt, he would likely be a relatively cheap addition who could help provide competition for places in the middle of the park for Villa, although, after looking his statistics from last season, we are less than convinced that this would be a wise way to spend some of the club’s transfer budget.