Exclusive: Watford in advanced talks over selling 14-goal forward for £17.7m

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

Published on:

24 Jul 2019, 10:06 am

EXCLUSIVE by Pete O'Rourke

Watford are in advanced talks to sell winger Dodi Lukebakio to Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin, Football Insider understands.

Hertha are prepared to pay £17.7million (€20million) to Watford for the 21-year-old forward and the Premier League club are ready to let the player go for the eight-figure fee.

A source at the Hornets has told Football Insider that the wide man is a long way down the first-team pecking order under manager Javi Gracia and the money picked up will represent a massive profit from what they paid for him.

Hertha Berlin have made a move to sign Lukebakio after the Belgian impressed playing in Germany for Fortuna Dusseldorf last season.

Versatile forward Lukebakio caught the eye for Fortuna with 10 goals and four assists in 31 league appearances last season, including a memorable hat-trick against Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, while he scored four in three in the German Cup to take his total to 14.

Lukebakio joined Watford from Anderlecht in January 2018, but he has made only one brief substitute appearance against West Ham during his time at Vicarage Road.

A versatile forward with the ability to play on either wing or up front by himself, Lukebakio is also a Belgian under-21 international, with 17 caps to his name.

In other Watford news, it can be REVEALED a Championship club are looking to raid the Hornets for a 25-year-old international this summer.

Watford