Watford make transfer move to bring in 15-goal striker | OneFootball

Watford are interested in signing Atletico Madrid striker Carlos Martin, who had been on loan at Mirandes last season.

Watford have made an offer to sign Atletico Madrid striker Carlos Martin, after his impressive loan spell at Mirandes last season.

Tom Cleverley is gearing up for his first full season in charge of the Hornets, and he will be desperate to stamp his own mark on the team during the summer window, with a new number nine sure to be a priority.

And, Spanish media outlet Relevo has revealed that Watford have submitted a ‘firm offer’ to land Martin, although it’s not clear whether it’s on a permanent basis or a loan for the Spain U21 international.

Watford targeting transfer swoop for Carlos Martin

On paper, the 22-year-old would appear to be an exciting signing for Watford, as he has been highly-rated coming through the Atletico Madrid academy, and he has even featured for the first-team over the years.

Most of his appearances have come with the B team though, where he had an impressive record, but it was unclear how that would transfer at a higher level.

Yet, in the previous campaign, Martin shone for Mirandes in the Spanish second tier, as he scored 15 goals for the side in 40 appearances.

It’s worth noting that Mirandes only finished one place above the relegation zone, so they were by no means a top side in La Liga 2, and Martin scored almost a third of their goals in the campaign.

Carlos Martin could make his mark in the Championship

Following on from that, Martin would appear to be a smart addition for Watford, and he certainly fits the profile in terms of what Cleverley wants from his striker.

At 5ft 11, he is a player who has a decent physicality, but his form with Mirandes crucially shows that he can find space in the box and sniff out chances.

Scoring goals was a big problem for Watford last season, which is why they languished in mid-table and failed to sustain a push for the play-offs.

Mileta Rajovic was the only player to hit double figures last season, as he managed ten, and the next players on the list scored just six. So, it’s no surprise that the club is looking across Europe as they search for ways to solve that problem.

Watford’s summer transfer plans

We know that Watford weren’t going to get major funding from the owner this summer, so it’s been about trading and doing deals to allow Cleverley to strengthen.

Ismael Kone has finalised a switch to Marseille which has brought in some big money, and there’s every chance that Yaser Asprille could depart. Losing the Colombian would be a blow, but it will give the recruitment team more freedom as they chase their own targets.

As explained above, a new striker has to be one of the main targets, and it will be interesting to see who arrives at Vicarage Road.