Watford in transfer battle with Celtic & Ajax for defender | OneFootball

Watford are interested in signing Volendam centre-back Xavier Mbuyamba, but they face competition for his signature from clubs including Celtic and Ajax.

Who is Xavier Mbuyamba?

The 21-year-old is currently playing in the Dutch top-flight with Volendam, and he has played a key role for the side as they look to stay in the Eredivisie. As well as impressing at the back, Mbuyamba has scored five goals, which includes a brace in the 2-1 win over Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday.

And, such form has caught the eye, as Sky Sports revealed that the Hornets are among the clubs considering a move for the player this summer.

However, convincing Mbuyamba to come to Vicarage Road is going to be a challenge, as the report explained that Scottish champions Celtic are looking at the defender, who has been compared to Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk in his home country.

Furthermore, Ajax and AZ Alkmaar are also in the mix to sign the youngster, and, like Celtic, they will be able to offer Mbuyamba European football next season.

Mbuyamba does have good pedigree from his academy days, as he was bought by Barcelona as a teenager, before joining Chelsea in 2020, and he was with the Londoners until last summer when he opted to join Volendam in search of more first-team football.

Valerien Ismael is expected to be busy in the market this summer after being appointed as the new Watford boss earlier this month, and bringing in a new centre-back is sure to be one of the priorities.

This would be a real coup for Watford

Given the calibre of clubs linked with Mbuyamba, it goes without saying that bringing the player to Watford would be a real coup for the Championship side, as he is a talented defender with the potential to get even better.

But, unlike the other clubs mentioned, you could argue that Mbuyamba will have a clearer route to the first-team with the Hornets. And, for a player who chose to leave Chelsea for Volendam, he clearly understands the need to get minutes under his belt to help his development.