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…
Watford are eyeing a move for Southampton striker Adam Armstrong this summer, it was reported over the weekend.
As per The Sun, the Hornets want to take the 25-year-old on a loan deal this summer.
Middlesbrough are also said to be keen, with the report stating that both have a job on their hands in order to convince Armstrong to drop back down to the second-tier.
The striker joined Southampton last summer, but experienced a difficult debut campaign at the club, scoring two goals in 28 appearances.
With the above in mind, we asked some of our writers here at FLW for their thoughts on the news, and whether or not Watford could convince Armstrong to return to the Championship temporarily.
Josh Cole
Having worked extremely hard to get back into a position to play in the Premier League again, it would be somewhat of a surprise if Armstrong opts to swap Southampton for Watford this summer.
Although the forward struggled with his consistency at this level last season, he still managed to show glimpses of promise as he provided five direct goal contributions.
Unless he is deemed to be surplus to requirements, Armstrong will be determined to take his game to new heights in a Southampton shirt next season.
For Watford's sake, they may find it beneficial to draft up a list of alternative options to Armstrong as there is no guarantee that he will be open to a move to Vicarage Road.
Billy Mulley
I think a lot will depend on the kind of business that Southampton engage in this summer, with it being unlikely that a deal is agreed upon soon.
There is certainly scope for Adam Armstrong to temporarily depart for the Championship once more, in an attempt to help him find his goalscoring boots.
He'd be an excellent addition for Watford, within a position that evidently needs addressing amidst the expected developments involving current striking options at the Hertfordshire club.
A pacey and extremely intelligent forward, Armstrong proved to be absolutely brilliant during his time with Blackburn and could be an ideal option for Rob Edwards to bring in.
They are likely to face lots of competition for his signature though.
Carla Devine
This would be a good signing for Watford as Armstrong is a talented striker and could definitely help their efforts in the Championship next season.
The 25-year-old has plenty of Championship experience including a highly impressive season with Blackburn in which he scored 28 goals in 40 appearances so we know he can do it at this level.
Armstrong only made 23 Premier League appearances for Southampton last season which is probably less game time than he was hoping for so you can see him being open to a drop down as long as regular football was on the cards.
He only managed two goals in the top flight last season but the more opportunity he gets to play regularly, the more goals will come his way which is no doubt what he wants.