Watford have signed Burnley striker Andre Gray for an undisclosed fee. How will the frontman do at Vicarage Road?
Premier League side Watford have signed Burnley’s Andre Gray for an undisclosed fee. According to the BBC, however, that figure is rumored to be around the region of £18.5 million, which has broken the Hornets’ transfer record.
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Even though Burnley have the likes of Ashley Barnes and Sam Vokes in their squad it will be hard to replace Gray. The Clarets have also added Jonathan Walters to their squad this summer but he bears more similarities to Barnes and Vokes, with strength being one of his main attributes.
Gray’s pace and skill make him a strong attacking threat, as shown by his nine Premier League goals last season. That’s why this is a tough one to take for Sean Dyche, although he was prepared for it, as Gray made huge contract demands.
The fee is also huge for Burnley, who are one of the most frugal clubs in the Premier League. So how will Gray fare as a Hornet? The answer should be well, although he may take some time to get going as it’s always difficult coming into a new team.
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Watford lacked structure last season but their new manager Marco Silva will have sorted that out. They also don’t have a lot of recognized strikers aside from Troy Deeney which means Gray has the opportunity to come in and make a starting position his own.
If he builds on last season’s nine goals then Watford will not have to worry about another relegation battle. The Hornets struggled to find the net last season, netting just 40 times in the 38 Premier League matches.
As an out-and-out striker Gray also brings much-needed pace to the Watford side. The likes of Nordin Amrabat and Mauro Zarate are no slouches by any means but they are not proper frontmen. Watford play Liverpool in the first game of their season and Gray could well get his first start against the Reds at Vicarage Road.