KEY POINTS

  • Watford is working on a deal to acquire seldom-used Moussa Sissoko
  • Sissoko is no longer getting playing time under Nuno at Tottenham
  • Sissoko is expected to take over the spot of Will Hughes at Watford

Moussa Sissoko has hardly gotten the chance to strut his wares under the watch of Nuno Espirito Santo at Tottenham, and it appears his talent may be best utilized by another team.

With the transfer window winding down, Watford could be that team.

According to reports, the Hornets have reportedly opened talks with Tottenham for the possible permanent transfer of the Frenchman.

All parties involved are confident of getting a deal done before the transfer deadline ends on August 31.

The 32-year-old joined the Spurs from Newcastle in 2016 and has made over 200 appearances with the North London-based club.

With his playing time dwindling, Sissoko could have better opportunities moving to the Hornets. He has yet to make the matchday squad in three of Tottenham’s first four games.

Instead, Nuno has elected to go with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp at midfield.

Aside from them, other players that the coach has been turning to include Giovani Lo Celso and Harry Winks.

Should the deal be sealed, Sissoko is likely to take the place of Will Hughes. The 26-year-old is set to move to Crystal Palace for an initial £6 million ($8.23 million) although this could rise to £10 million ($13.72 million) because of add-ons.

Hughes was in the final year of his deal with Watford, and a new deal pitched to him was thumbed down. This relegated him to the Under-23 side.

Aside from Crystal Palace, Burnley and Aston Villa had an interest in taking in the English midfielder. However, it appears the Eagles have the inside track.

Once official, Hughes will become Patrick Vieira’s sixth summer signing at Selhurst Park. He joined Watford in 2017 and has made 118 appearances with the club.

However, the Eagles' main problem right now is the offense. The misfiring squad had 22 shots across their first three games but managed to find the back of the net only five times.

Moussa Sissoko
Moussa Sissoko has been strongly linked with a transfer to Arsenal this month. Reuters

Vieira continues to skim the market for additional talent following the exit of several key players due to expired contracts.

In related news, Watford has also been linked to Layvin Kurzawa.

According to Foot Mercato, the Hornets will try their luck on the left-back of Paris Saint-Germain before the transfer deadline.

The French player has attracted interest from several teams, but most have been unsuccessful to date.

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