Watford complete signing of young French midfielder Pape Gueye
Watford have completed the signing of young French defensive midfielder Pape Gueye from Ligue 2 side Le Havre this week on a free transfer.
Watford have once again dipped into the rich and deep pool of footballing talent in France, completing a deal to sign defensive midfielder Pape Gueye from Le Havre this week. The 21-year-old’s contract is due to expire on June 30th, and with Ligue 2 having their season officially canceled this week, the Hornets were able to make the announcement.
This signing comes as a bit of a surprise, as nobody has been focusing too much on transfers these days due to the impact that COVID-19 has had on club finances, but the fact that this is a free transfer makes it more understandable.
Watford are no strangers to the amount of talent currently festering in France, as they made a big splash last summer to bring Ismaila Sarr to the club from Rennes.
Le Havre, the club Watford have signed Pape Gueye from, are well-known for their ability to develop superb talent, even while playing in Ligue 2. Riyad Mahrez, Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet, Ferland Mendy, and Benjamin Mendy have all passed through the Le Havre academy during their youth years – and all of them are extremely talented, particularly on the technical side.
Watford FC again with a fantastic pick up of a very promising 21 year old Pape Gueye on a pre contract from Ligue 2 club Le Havre. Great scouting and recruitment at that football club.
— Moby (@Mobyhaque1) April 29, 2020
This highlights the type of player Watford are getting – someone who is bound to make an impact at the top level, with fantastic youth training and development.
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Pape Gueye plays as a defensive midfielder and is considered one of the most underrated talents in France. Some in the French media have even dubbed him the ‘new Kante’, although that comparison might be a bit too general for my liking. Gueye has a completely different physique to Kante, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see his career trajectory follow a similar path to the Chelsea midfielder.
Gueye’s contract is a lengthy one – 5 years in total, with Watford expected to develop the player further before selling him on for a big profit.
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Gueye has represented France at u18 and u19 level but has not been called up to the u21 national team. Of course, the competition in all of France’s international teams is extremely fierce. Expect Gueye to make a seamless transition to English football from Ligue 2, in a similar way to Arsenal’s Matteo Guendouzi.