Watford are linked with a move for out-of-contract midfielder Carlos Sanchez. The Hornets brought in Dan Gosling near the end of the January transfer window but saw Etienne Capoue, James Garner, and Domingos Quina all depart. So, Watford only have four true, senior central midfielders. With Nathaniel Chalobah now suspended for the next two matches, the lack of midfield depth has come into the spotlight.
Watford Considering Move for Carlos Sanchez
Free Transfer Potentially in the Works
According to Alan Nixon of The Sun, the Hornets are considering signing free agent Carlos Sanchez. The 35-year-old left West Ham United in the summer and has trained alone since. The defensive midfielder, who made 88 international appearances for Colombia, will likely consider retirement if this move does not come to fruition.
The journeyman has played in each of Europe’s top five leagues except for the Bundesliga. The club the player spent the most time with was Valenciennes FC. Other notable clubs he played for are Aston Villa, Espanyol, and Fiorentina.
With his most recent club West Ham, Sanchez only made 17 appearances across two seasons. Despite being beyond his best days, the Hornets do have valid reasons to pursue his signature.
Watford’s Shallow Midfield Suggests Carlos Sanchez Has a Place
Ever since switching to the 4-3-3 formation, the midfield trio of Will Hughes, Tom Cleverley, and Chalobah have performed remarkably. Gosling more than sufficiently gets the job done when called upon. But, the depth stops there, and with fixture congestion, rotation is needed. Plus, if there are untimely injuries or suspensions, the lack of personnel will hurt the Hornets.
Watford know Ben Wilmot, Ken Sema, and new-signing Philip Zinckernagel can play in the midfield if necessary. Still, playing players out of their natural position is never optimal, especially for a promotion-chasing team. This is one reason why loaning out Quina was such a questionable choice.
Sanchez would provide much-needed depth. Admittedly, he would only see sparse minutes if Watford’s first-four choices stay healthy. But, in the event the Hornets do need another midfielder to step-up in the centre of the pitch, having Sanchez would provide much-needed cover. If everyone remains out of trouble, signing Sanchez would be, for lack of better words, pointless. But, gambling that no more suspensions or injuries will occur is too risky.
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