How likely Crystal Palace or Fulham are of sealing £20m Watford transfer in January | OneFootball

Rocco Vata was linked with a Premier League move in January, but an injury may have put paid to those plans

A hamstring injury looks to be keeping Rocco Vata at Watford for the time being, as Crystal Palace and Fulham are set to miss out on the £20 million-rated wideman in January.

The Daily Mail reported in late November that the Premier League duo were monitoring the 20-year-old, who is in his second season at Watford after arriving from Celtic's academy, as they looked to scout the next generation of young second-tier stars.

Within that report, it was revealed that the Hornets value Vata at £20 million, a price which top-flight sides won't be prepared to pay next month.

This is according to Pete O'Rourke, who said on the Inside Track podcast that a hamstring injury picked up by the Irishman in November will see him miss the opportunity to make the switch in January.

Rocca Vata to stay put at Watford this January

Vata had a lively start to the campaign, registering two goals and two assists in 10 Championship appearances before going down with a hamstring injury against Middlesbrough in November.

Manager Javi Gracia said that the setback would see the 20-year-old out for "a long time," and there are expectations that he won't be fit again until the end of January at the earliest.

Therefore, given the lofty price tag placed on Vata and the fact that he'll have faced a few months on the sidelines before making a prospective debut for a new club, Pete O'Rourke doesn't believe that a move will materialise this January.

"There's no chance he's going to leave Watford," O'Rourke said on the Inside Track podcast.

"He's out injured until late January, so I don't see any club paying that type of money for Rocco Vata as he just returns from a long-term injury.

"He had a bright start to the season with Watford, there's no doubt about that, picked up two goals and two assists, and the injury has obviously held him back.

"He's not expected back until late January at the earliest, so even if there is Premier League interest in him, I don't see any imminent move for Rocco Vata right now."

So, despite losing their exciting young prospect to a long-term hamstring injury, there's some respite in it for Watford, in that they should be able to keep him for a few more months after he returns.

Whether speculation will build again in the summer, however, is a different topic altogether.

Rocco Vata interest should carry over into next summer

Vata is clearly destined for the Premier League, and given Crystal Palace's track record of taking in young talents from the Championship and nurturing them up to becoming some of the best players in the world, as seen through Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze, there are expectations that the Eagles may swoop in once more next summer.

The 20-year-old will be tasked with continuing where he left off pre-injury to gain that attention, and if he can do that, then Watford's £20 million price tag may be justified further as well.

The Hornets will be hoping that the unpredictability of the Championship this season could allow their side to give Vata Premier League football themselves, but regardless, the exciting Irishman seems ready to make that step up to the top flight.

It won't be this January due to injury, but the future of Vata will be one to definitely look out for when the season ends.