Watford would take a massive step towards strengthening their backline by signing this powerful Argentine centre-back in the summer

Watford should reignite their interest in Mateo Musacchio next summer

According to the Calciomercato, Premier League clubs Watford and Fulham were both keen on signing Mateo Musacchio from AC Milan in the January transfer window but the Rossoneri refused to part ways with the Argentine international, with manager Gennaro Gattuso backing the 28-year-old to become one of the mainstays of the club’s backline.

Musacchio completed a big-money move to AC Milan from Villarreal back in the summer of 2017 following a hugely successful spell in the La Liga. The Argentine centre-back racked up a staggering 249 appearances for Villarreal across all competitions prior to his switch to the San Siro a couple of years back. Since then, the 28-year-old has made a total of 40 appearances for the Rossoneri across all competitions.

Standing at just a shade below 6ft., Musacchio is particularly tall for a centre-back but he makes up for it with his strength, agility, composure and astute sense of positioning. He is a good reader of the game, both in the air as well as off the ground, with his superior technical abilities making him a prized defensive asset to any team.

To put things into perspective, Watford should reignite their interest in the Argentine defensive wall and table a bid to land him next summer. The Hornets have enjoyed a good run in the Premier League this season, with Javi Gracia’s side currently sitting 8th in the standings.

Watford have one of the best defensive records outside the top six in the Premier League, having conceded 34 goals so far. They are currently well-stocked in the centre-back department, with the likes of Christian Kabasele, Adrian Mariappa and Craig Cathcart all in their ranks. Cathcart has been an ever-present figure at the heart of the defence while Kabasele and Mariappa have been rotated alongside him.

Despite having adequate cover at the back, Watford should target Musacchio next summer as an upgrade on their current options. Musacchio is much more composed on the ball and boasts of a pass accuracy percentage of 89.3, which is better than the likes of Cathcart, Mariappa and Kabasele. The Argentine international not only has better passing skills but he is also a lot better in terms of his positioning and tackling.

The 28-year-old has completed 28 of his attempted 31 tackles in the Serie A this term, being dribbled past only thrice so far. Mariappa (31/42), Cathcart (39/49) and Kabasele (18/27) all have a lower tackling success rate as compared to Musacchio. As evident from the figures mentioned above, the Argentinian can certainly be an upgrade on Watford’s existing centre-backs.

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Watford should look to carry the positives from their solid run this term into the upcoming season and adding top-quality players would definitely help them move in the right direction. Musacchio has both experience and quality in abundance and the Hornets should splash the cash to secure his services next summer.