Why Barry Douglas would be a good signing for Watford
According to the Daily Mail, Watford are in advanced negotiations to sign out-of-favour Leeds United left-back Barry Douglas, with manager Vladimir Ivic keen to add a few more players to his squad before the domestic deadline on October 16.
The 31-year-old had been linked with a move to Celtic earlier in the summer and while that’s no longer a possibility now, Douglas could still secure a move away from Elland Road to the Championship. The left-back’s only appearance for the Whites this season so far came in the penalty-shootout defeat against Hull City in the second round of the EFL Cup last month.
Profile
Barry Douglas started his professional career with Queen’s Park in the Scottish second-tier before establishing himself as a quality left-back in the top-flight at Dundee United. He made 76 appearances for Dundee United over the course of three full seasons before completing a move away from his homeland to Polish giants Lech Poznan.
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The 31-year-old racked up an impressive tally of 5 goals and 21 assists in 75 appearances for Lech Poznan, winning the domestic title and Polish SuperCup, while also featuring in the Europa League.
Douglas was transferred to Turkish outfit Konyaspor in January 2016 and went on to play 45 times in all competitions before completing a move to Wolves in the summer of 2017. The Scotsman plundered an astonishing 5 goals and 14 assists in the Championship as Nuno Santo’s side secured promotion to the Premier League as the outright winners of the second-tier.
The left-back joined Leeds United in the Championship in 2018 and has since accumulated 44 appearances for the Whites in all competitions, winning the second division title for the second time in his career last season.
Douglas would be a quality addition to Watford’s backline
Watford roped in centre-back duo Francisco Sierralta and William Troost-Ekong before the international summer deadline while young right-back Jeremy Ngakia also arrived on a free transfer from West Ham earlier in the summer.
Watford are pretty well-stocked at the back but left-back is one department where they should look to improve before the domestic deadline. Kiko Femenia remains the only recognised option in that department but early signs suggest that the Spaniard is struggling to adapt to life in the Championship.
Ivic has tried to shoehorn winger Ken Sema into a left-back while academy prospect Toby Stevenson has also featured in that position in the EFL Cup games. However, the Hornets would be better off bringing in a quality left-back, preferably with Championship experience, to challenge Femenia for a regular starting role.
Barry Douglas, to that end, perfectly fits the bill as an attack-minded left-back with a proven track record of goals and assists in his career. The 31-year-old is versatile enough to switch between full-back and wing-back roles on the left, thus providing Ivic with the tactical flexibility to tinker between back-three and back-four formations.
The Scotsman also has a reputation as a promotion specialist in the English second-tier, having won the Championship title with Wolves and Leeds United. Hence, Douglas knows what it takes to taste promotion glory and it goes without saying that his arrival would add some valuable experience and winning mentality to the ranks at Vicarage Road.
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Verdict
Watford need to eye up deals for some proven performers in the Championship in the remaining few days of the transfer window and they don’t come much better than Barry Douglas. The 31-year-old still has plenty to offer and with less than 12 months remaining on his current deal at Elland Road, the Hornets should fancy their chances of nabbing him in a cut-price deal.
