Crystal Palace have reportedly reached an agreement with fellow Premier League club Watford for the signing of midfielder Will Hughes.
According to a report from BBC Sport, Crystal Palace are set to complete the signing of midfielder Will Hughes in a deal worth £6 million after reaching an agreement with newly-promoted Premier League outfit, Watford.
Hughes came through the ranks at Derby County where he made quite the name for himself in the lower divisions of English football before making the switch to Watford in the summer of 2017. During his four years with the Hornets, the 26-year-old has managed 118 appearances, scoring eight goals and setting up ten more.
Having missed a clutch of matches early in the last season, Hughes went on to play a key role in the latter stages to help Watford return to the Premier League. However, the Englishman has been forced to train with the reserves this summer as he refused to sign a contract extension, with his current deal running out next year.
Naturally, the development piqued the interest of several clubs in the English top-flight, with Crystal Palace being at the forefront of the interest in the 26-year-old, although they had to face competition from Burnley among other clubs.
However, it has now been confirmed that the Eagles have struck an agreement with Watford to sign Hughes before the transfer deadline day. The deal will be worth an initial fee of £6 million, which could rise to £10 million with add-ons. The former Derby County midfielder is expected to have a medical on Friday before a move is finalised.
Should it go through without any snag, Hughes will become Crystal Palace’s sixth signing of the summer as new manager Patrick Vieira undertakes a massive rebuild job after having seen a number of players leave at the end of the last season. Midfield was an area that the Eagles need to strengthen considering Eberechi Eze’s injury and James McArthur’s advancing age.
Hughes, who has considerable Premier League experience, would thus be a capable addition to the Palace squad, who have also brought in Conor Gallagher on loan from Chelsea to add to their midfield department. Despite the impending addition of the 26-year-old from Watford, business is unlikely to be done for the summer at Selhurst Park, with Palace still in the market for a new centre-forward.
