This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Aston Villa have reportedly agreed a deal with Watford to sign Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr this summer.

As per reports, Villa will pay the Hornets a fee in the region of £25 million pounds, with add-ons also a part of the agreement.

The above reports come after Sarr missed Watford's last two Championship matches away at Birmingham City and Preston North End respectively.

With that in mind, here, we asked some of our writers at FLW for their thoughts on Sarr's reported departure from Vicarage Road.

Billy Mulley

You could take your pick from Watford's frontline that started the season and they are all worth over £20 million.

A player that can operate on the wing and as a number nine, Ismaila Sarr will provide versatility at Aston Villa and it is pretty evident that he is of Premier League quality.

Possessing a contract at Watford that did not expire for another two years, combined with the fact that he is still just 24 years of age, the €25 million is certainly just.

Not only will Sarr bolster competition levels within the forward line at Villa, Sarr is someone who has all the required abilities to thrive within the starting line up.

 

 

Toby Wilding

This does feel as though it could be a very good signing for Aston Villa.

Sarr has already proven he is more than capable of making an impact in the Premier League, courtesy of his previous performances with Watford.

Given he now ought to be playing in an even stronger squad if he makes the move to Villa Park, that ought to allow him to flourish even further, and become a key figure for Steven Gerrard's side going forward.

When you consider the even more sizable fee that Watford appear to be holding out for when it comes to Joao Pedro, this does look to be a shrewd piece of business for Villa in the market, and one that could prove important for them in the long term.

Simmey Hannifin-Donaldson

I think this is a good signing for Aston Villa.

Although he struggled in the second half of last season, Sarr has shown on numerous occasions that he is a Premier League quality player and he should do well at Villa providing he is utilised properly.

The fee seems reasonable, too, when you consider that it is slightly below what the Hornets originally paid for Sarr back in 2019.

It's a blow to Watford to lose another of their key men, but it was surely expected that Sarr would eventually be the subject of transfer interest as the window went on.