Watford will not sell Senegalese international Ismaila Sarr during the January transfer window.
That is according to The Athletic, who report that the Hornets are adamant that the attacker will not leave the club this month.
It is reported that the main factor behind Watford's stance on Sarr is that they see the 24-year-old as vital to their chances of not just securing a play-off place, but potentially chasing down automatic promotion despite Sheffield United and Burnley having a significant lead.
Naturally, there have been plenty of reports linking Sarr with a move away from Vicarage Road this month, with his Watford contract now having just 18 months remaining.
Last month, for example, Everton were linked with a significant potential transfer bid for the 24-year-old, meanwhile, elsewhere, reports have suggested that both Aston Villa and Crystal Palace were also in the race for his signature this month.
Most recently, Nottingham Forest were linked with a sensational swoop for the Senegalese winger by the Daily Mirror (07/01, 5:58PM) in a move which was reported to involve a swap deal with City Ground flop Emmanuel Dennis, who departed Vicarage Road in the summer.
Ismaila Sarr has seven goals and four assists in 22 Championship matches this campaign.
In recent weeks, he has stepped up in the absence of other injured Watford players, playing a key role in the winning goal against Norwich a fortnight ago, and putting in arguably his best performance of the season against Blackpool on Saturday afternoon.
The Verdict
I think this is good news for Watford and their push for promotion, be it automatically or via the play-offs.
Although some fans have questioned how much Sarr's head is really in it at times this season, I think he has still performed well, and in recent weeks, he has stepped up to the mark and showed he does want to be at Vicarage Road.
If Watford can get that Sarr playing week in, week out for the remainder of the campaign, it is a scary proposition for Championship defences, and perhaps even Sheffield United and Burnley.
It's a big gap the Hornets have to make up to the top two, but even if the automatic places are out of reach, with players like Sarr in the side, Watford have a great chance of reaching and competing well in the play-offs.