Watford still considering move for Troyes winger Claudio Beauvue

1:30pm Friday 24th July 2009

By Frank Smith

Watford are considering whether to make a move for French winger Claudio Beauvue.

Beauvue was on a five-day trial with the Hornets, which was set to end on Monday, but Malky Mackay acted to extend the 21-year-old’s stay so he could attend their pre-season trip to Spain.

Four players who did fail to make the flight to Barcelona on Tuesday though, were Will Hoskins, John-Joe O’Toole, Mat Sadler and Lewis Young.

Beauvue was impressive in Watford’s 3-0 win over Wealdstone on Saturday and Mackay said the Troyes winger will have another chance to impress this evening (Friday) when they take on CF Balaguer.

Mackay said: “We are going to look at him on Friday and then decide whether he is someone we want to add to the group.

“There are different things you have to look at in terms of their club and wages and what the player is like in terms of work rate, attitude and fitness.

“In the first few days he has trained well, so we will see how he does when we play on Friday,” the Hornets boss added.

Although Watford had warned supporters this may happen, the club this week apologised to fans who have travelled to Spain after newly-promoted La Liga side Real Zaragoza pulled out of the proposed friendly and had to be replaced by CF Balaguer, who play in the fourth tier of Spanish football.

Mackay said he has no injury worries ahead of tonight’s game and expects Balaguer to be tough opponents.

He said: “I think the heat will make it a tough task and the Spaniards will be technically well-drilled, so it will be a good test for us.”

The Hornets play their second pre-season friendly in Spain on Monday, when they take on UE Lleida.

Hoskins missed out on the trip due to an on-going injury but Mackay confirmed Sadler, O’Toole and Young failed to make the final 24, which included a number of Academy graduates such as Michael Bryan.

Mackay stated last weekend that O’Toole, Young and Sadler were all put in the Watford Development XI’s trip to Hampton and Richmond for fitness reasons.

But yesterday (Thursday), Mackay said: “It is just that the group here are the 24 that we decided out of the first couple of weeks we wanted to take on the trip. There is only a certain number you can take on such a trip.”

Jay DeMerit and Scott Loach have finally re-joined the squad after being given extra time off following international duty this summer.

Ross Jenkins, Don Cowie and Tommy Smith also travelled after missing the win at Wealdstone through injuries and illness.

McAnuff, who is still in negotiations with Watford over a new contract, albeit on reduced terms, is the latest Watford player to be linked with a move to former manager Brendan Rodgers’ new club Reading.

Mackay said he will not promise that any Watford player will definitely be at the club come August 8 but assured fans that McAnuff has not asked him for a move away from Vicarage Road.

He said: “Jobi is out here and has been one of the leaders of the group in terms of ball work and his general demeanour around the place. So absolutely 100 per cent, he has not asked for a move.”

Mackay added: “I am not going to say that anybody will definitely be a Watford player come August 8. But I would certainly hope that Jobi is still here.”