Watford opinion: Why Pedro Porro would be a smart addition for the Hornets
According to claims from reputed English journalist Pete O’Rourke, Watford are interested in signing burgeoning young latent Pedro Porro from Spanish club Girona, with the report claiming that the teenager has impressed Hornets manager Javi Gracia with his performances.
However, if the Hornets are really serious about getting their hands on the highly-rated 19-year-old, they would need to fend off interest from a number of La Liga clubs in their pursuit of the versatile right-back. (h/t report)
Pedro Porro was one of the shining lights of Girona’s otherwise disappointing campaign in the Spanish top-flight last season which eventually ended in relegation.
However, the youngster’s stocks are soaring sky-high at the moment and he might as well earn a move to a bigger club, with so many potential suitors circling around like sharks to snap him up this summer.
Porro scored once and assisted a further four goals in 35 appearances in all competitions, with manager Eusebio Sacristan rotating him between right-back and right wing-back roles.
The 19-year-old earned rave reviews for his consistently impressive and energetic displays down the right-hand side of the pitch and he is regarded as a player with the potential to go on and play at the highest level in Europe, having only made his debut for Girona in the 2017-18 season.
A youth product of Rayo Vallecano, Porro rejected interest from a number of Spanish giants before joining Girona in the summer of 2017.
He largely featured for the reserve side in his first season but the right-back really came of age in the 2018-19 campaign and took the La Liga by storm with his dazzling displays.
Meanwhile, Watford have already taken significant strides towards improving their backline this summer with the acquisition of centre-back Craig Dawson from West Brom, whilst youngsters Tom Dele-Bashiru and Sam Dalby are expected to link up with the development squad at Vicarage Road.
Watford are yet to spend big this summer, and should they opt to splash the cash over the next couple of weeks before the deadline, attacking reinforcements are likely to be a priority for Javi Gracia.
After all, the likes of Andre Gray, Issac Success and Ken Sema did not do enough to justify their inclusion in the squad the last term. The right-back is not an area which is in need of investment at the moment unless the manager is looking to sell a few players this summer.
Watford already have the likes of Daryl Janmaat, Kiko Femenia and Marc Navarro vying for a role on the right-hand side of the backline, although the Spanish duo hasn’t particularly impressed with their displays in the Premier League over the past couple of seasons.
Janmaat started as the first-choice last season before an injury forced Gracia to hand over the reins to Femenia, who largely blew hot and cold over the course of the campaign.
Janmaat, who is the most established contender for the role, is likely to continue as the first-choice next term but Watford need to get the likes of Femenia and Navarro off their books to accommodate some exciting talent.
To put things into perspective, it is high time for the Hornets to move away from the mediocrity of Femenia and Navarro and shift their focus towards Pedro Porro, who is certainly among Europe’s brightest emerging prospects.
A young and talented player with loads of potential, and possibly a very high resale value in the years to come, the 19-year-old Spanish U21 international perfectly fits the profile of players that Watford owner Gino Pozzo likes to target in the transfer window.
A modern-day offensive-minded full-back blessed with the versatility to play further up the pitch as a wing-back or a winger, Porro caught the eye with his lightning pace in the La Liga last season, whilst also illustrating good maturity in dealing with the transitions in play.
Having narrowly missed out on a Europa League qualification spot the last term, Watford should try to build on the positives from their incredible run to the final of the FA Cup and bringing in talented youngsters like Pedro Porro is definitely going to help their cause.
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Conclusion
With that in mind, Watford should leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of the Girona man. He seems to have the potential to carve out a big reputation for himself in any top European league in the near future.