Peterborough United's director of football Barry Fry has revealed they have received no contact from Watford regarding the services of Jonson Clarke-Harris, speaking to the Peterborough Telegraph.
The 27-year-old's link to the Hornets came about during the early stages of this month with journalist Alan Nixon believing that Rob Edwards' side are keen on striking an agreement for his services.
Clarke-Harris has already become accustomed to life in the Championship following his side's time in the second tier last season, fighting bravely against the drop but being unable to get themselves out of trouble despite then-league rivals Reading and Derby County receiving points deductions last year.
The forward was a key part of their promotion-winning 2020/21 campaign to get to the second tier in the first place, scoring 31 goals in 45 league appearances as he enjoyed a remarkable year at the Weston Homes Stadium.
He may not have been able to score as many during last season - but he still managed to get on the scoresheet 12 times in the second tier and this has seemingly alerted the Hornets to his services.
At this stage though, nothing seems to be imminent regarding this potential deal with Fry revealing the latest on the situation.
Speaking to the Peterborough Telegraph, he said: "The only contact I've had with Watford was a couple of phone calls asking me to fix up a friendly between our clubs.
"Why they were so keen on a friendly with us is anyone’s guess, but the dates they offered didn’t fit in with our manager’s plans.
"At no time was any player mentioned so I have no idea where the transfer story came from. It certainly wasn’t from me!"
The Verdict:
During 2021/22, the forward showed he was more than capable of holding his own in the second tier despite his side's struggles, proving to be a physical presence up front and a real problem for defences last year.
This is why it wouldn't be too much of a risk if Edwards' side did bring in the 27-year-old - but shouldn't look to be paying over the odds for his services with alternatives also available in the market.
At this stage though, they already have quite a few options with Joao Pedro, Emmanuel Dennis, Vakoun Bayo and Rey Manaj all attacking options at Vicarage Road, though it's currently unclear whether the former two will still be at the club by the time the summer window closes.
In fairness, Edwards may start with two up top next term and this could mean there's space for Clarke-Harris in the first-team squad, even without further departures.
However, he would probably need to be content with sitting on the sidelines at times if he was to match the switch to Hertfordshire, though the potential departures of Dennis and/or Pedro could be a game-changer for him.