Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing 18-year-old English winger Tom Watson from Championship club Sunderland.
According to a report by Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Tom Watson had a few Premier League clubs scouting him during Sunderland’s EFL Championship clash with Millwall this past weekend. Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United are keen on signing the English winger from the second-division club.
Who is Tom Watson?
Tom Watson is one of the brightest young prospects in the lower leagues of English football. A native of Easington, the Englishman has spent his formative years thus far in his formative years, graduating from the youth division at Sunderland AFC.
The 18-year-old broke into the first-team squad at the EFL Championship club towards the end of the 2022/23 season. Since then, Watson has come leaps and bounds, although he has yet to become a regular in the final third for Sunderland. Instead, the youngster has made his mark in Premier League 2, amassing five goals and four assists in five appearances thus far this term.
High in demand
Meanwhile, Watson’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United. The three London clubs scouted the English winger in Sunderland’s EFL Championship clash with Millwall this past weekend.
Crystal Palace can do with a young prospect like Tom Watson. The Eagles have been proficient at finding game-changing players from the lower leagues of English football. Recent reports have linked Crystal Palace with Andre Garcia. Meanwhile, Tottenham’s interest in the Sunderland prodigy is understandable.
Richarlison faces an uncertain future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the Englishman can be a long-term replacement for the struggling Brazilian international. As for West Ham, Lucas Paqueta faces an uncertain future at the London Stadium. So, they should sign a young and promising attacker to replace the former Lyon star.
With Crystal Palace, Tottenham, and West Ham showing interest in Watson, a move to the Premier League might be on the cards. However, the 18-year-old English winger might also find himself in the top flight if Sunderland can clinch promotion from the EFL Championship.