Canada international midfielder Ismaël Koné is being courted by Championship outfit Watford ahead of the January transfer window, according to Tuttomercatoweb.

The 20-year-old, who plays his club football for CF Montreal of the MLS, came off the bench for Canada in the second half of their 1-0 defeat by Belgium on Wednesday night.

He is now 'concretely' in the sights of the Hornets according to the report, and they could beat second tier rivals Sheffield United to his signature.

The youngster was believed to be closing in on a move to Bramall Lane in the summer transfer window, but it broke down before the deadline as Sander Berge did not move on as potentially expected.

 

 

 

 

Paul Heckingbottom revealed that Koné would be kept in their thoughts in the following months before the window re-opened, but they could be pipped to the post by Watford and Slaven Bilic.

Koné appeared 28 times in the MLS for Montreal in the 2022 campaign, scoring three goals and assisting a further four, with his contract expiring at the Quebec-based franchise in December 2023.

The Verdict

Watford's interest could spring Sheffield United into life here.

Koné isn't exactly going to be a massive secret if he's performing at the World Cup for his nation, and with 29 out of his 30 passes completed against Belgium, he certainly knows how to pick out a team-mate.

Even though his contract at Montreal is up in just one one years time, Koné will still likely command a decent fee, but it will be an achievable one for a top Championship club considering United were closing in on him a few months ago.

The engine room though is clearly somewhere Slaven Bilic needs to strengthen judging by certain performances so far this season - not to mention a lack of depth - so Koné could be smart business if it gets over the line.