Watford are looking at a potential deal for an up-and-coming South American youngster Santiago Londono.
The Hornets are keen on working out a possible signature for the 16-year-old Colombian starlet.
Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, has stated that the Hertfordshire side are looking to strike a deal for the £2.5m rated youngster, with him emerging as a serious talent.
The youngster plays his football for Colombian outfit, Medellín and has already featured in their first team for both domestic and South American club cup competitions.
Watford’s aim with the deal is to secure his services from an early stage, so bigger clubs don’t come snooping in a bid to draw him away from the Hornets.
The Colombian side are reportedly willing to strike a deal which includes a percentage of the teenager, which may also appeal to Tom Cleverley’s side.
Watford eyeing up £2.5m rated 16-year-old Londono
Speaking of big hitters potentially interested in the youngster, AC Milan and Atlético Madrid have shown an interest, with Watford hoping to secure an early coup.
Londono has represented his country at U17 level, proving his ceiling is extremely high, and warrants the interest of these sorts of clubs.
The investment in the youngster could be seen as a bargain further down the line for the Hornets, as the 16-year-old has climbed the ladder over in Colombia, previously playing for Pipe Uribe and Envigado.
Now, he’s hoping his football at Medelin will prove to Watford and other clubs that his valuation is worth it, and if it is, expect the Hornets to get this deal done as soon as possible.
He would certainly be an exciting coup for Cleverley’s side and continues the trend of Watford’s incredible scouting network around South America.
The Pozzo family’s fantastic scouting structure at Watford
The Hornets have been known for their excellent scouting skills over the years, directed by Italian owner Gino Pozzo.
They have scoured South America for raw talent in recent years, signing young players from Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil in the process.
The majority of them have been low-cost, low-profile additions, but have gone on to secure Watford a substantial cash windfall.
Over the years, there have been many talents that come in through this scouting structure. Recently, we saw the talent of Yaser Asprilla, who also arrived from Colombia with Envigado. Asprilla had two strong seasons at Watford, especially after his efforts last season, bringing him a move to Champions League side, Girona.
| Asprilla’s statistics in the 2023/24 Championship season as per FotMob | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 44 |
| Goals | 6 |
| Assists | 7 |
| Chances created | 75 |
| Dribble success % | 57.8% (59/102) |
| Duels won | 146 |
The main ones that stand out are, Joao Pedro and Richarlison, who both arrived from Brazilian side Fluminese, and left for a combined £70 million.
The Pozzo’s are certainly going down the route of an untapped market, and have been somewhat trend setters. The likes of Brighton & Hove Albion have, of course, done brilliantly with their scouting network, in identifying many talents.
But after Watford’s early links to Londono, they may be the club to come benefit once more.
If Londono does sign for Watford, he could join the list of fantastic South American talent that have played for the Hornets, and may even demand a significant fee in the future.
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