Bayer Leverkusen in last-ditch ‘hunt’ to sign Watford sensation
Bayer Leverkusen are among several Bundesliga clubs monitoring the situation of Watford defender Max Lyall-Rajendra.
Watford are in the race for promotion from the Championship this season, but they face a fight to keep their brightest talents this month.
Javi Gracia returned to Vicarage Road in October, after Paulo Pezzolano had become the latest manager to be sacked by the Hornets.
Watford midfielder Imran Louza is also being tracked by interested clubs, with the Moroccan in fine form for Gracia’s team.
In a coup this month, however, Watford signed Edoardo Bove after Roma terminated his contract, with the 23-year-old looking to get his career back on track.
Bayer Leverkusen track Max Lyall-Rajendra
Lyall-Rajendra, 16, had made two appearances in the FA Youth Cup so far this season, and the excitement around him is palpable.
The right-back is attracting the interest of several clubs in England, with Premier League academies keen to recruit him.
Lyall-Rajendra is the captain of Watford‘s Under-16s, but he has already begun playing for both the U17s and U18s.
In October, Mac Sports Management, a talent agency firm, confirmed that they had recruited the defender.
Watford will hope to keep him at Vicarage Road for his breakthrough, but the interest in the 16-year-old is intensifying.
According to TalentHunter on Instagram, Bayer Leverkusen, Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt are all monitoring Lyall-Rajendra.
The youngster’s Italian passport allows him to sign for a European club before turning 18, creating a more difficult situation for Watford.
Javi Gracia hoping for new signings
While interest grows from elsewhere in Watford’s players, Gracia is hoping to see new bodies arrive at Vicarage Road in the coming weeks.
Bove is yet to make his debut for the Hornets, and it could still be some time away as the midfielder returns to full fitness.
The 23-year-old has not played since December 2024, when he suffered a cardiac arrest in a Serie A match against Inter Milan.
Bove has since been fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator to treat his heart condition, but he could not play in Italy with the device.
Speaking last week, Gracia said: “The club is working [on transfers] and I hope we have some new players as soon as possible.
“We are competing many games without players to change and it’s a crucial moment of the season.”