Football League World
·1. November 2024
Football League World
·1. November 2024
Giorgi Chakvetdze is racking up some seriously impressive numbers for Watford this season, and it's little wonder why Wolves are interested
Electric playmaker Giorgi Chakvetadze is beginning to blossom for Watford in the Championship this season, catching eyes elsewhere with his continued creative displays.
The 25-year-old has stepped up to the mantle to announce himself as the centrepiece of Tom Cleverley's high-flying side following a period of gradual adaptation during his opening campaign with the club.
Chakvetadze initially signed for Watford on loan from Slovan Bratislava last summer, and the Hornets sought to make his stay at Vicarage Road a permanent one by forking out a fee reportedly in the region of £2.5 million back in February.
At the time and from the outside looking in, Watford's decision to capture Chakvetadze permanently for a not-insignificant sum appeared to resemble something of a gamble. While the attacking midfielder displayed signs of tangible promise at Vicarage Road, the consistency perhaps wasn't quite there across the course of the season, and he didn't exactly pull up too many trees, returning a solitary strike and three assists from 34 Championship appearances.
But Watford supporters seemed to know that the division was soon to see what they all knew when he managed to match his entire seasonal tally from the previous term when he scored a stunning 30-yard free-kick against Millwall on the opening day - and he's only gone from strength-to-strength from there on in.
Chakvetadze has transpired as one of the leading creative forces in the Championship this season. His ability to find space and break lines with his incisive, inventive passing is bettered by few throughout the division, and the quality within the Georgian's possession is very much reflected in the statistics, too.
It's worth noting that the attacking midfielder hasn't provided a goal or an assist in his last six matches, although it would be unfair to dismiss Watford's topsy-turvy recent form as a key reason for that.
Besides, Chakvetadze is still continuing to shine despite the direct goal contributions just beginning to dry up somewhat, and one statistic in particular reflects just how impressive he's been - and why the Hornets may find retaining his services a trying task, too.
Chakvetadze's created chances return of 30 already makes for impressive reading, and the feat is even more commendable when you consider that just two players in the Championship have created a higher figure after 12 matches.
At the minute, only Alfie Doughty and Finn Azaz are usurping the Hornets star in this metric, but he's beating off the likes of Barry Bannan, Scott Twine, Karamoko Dembele, Patrick Roberts and Harrison Burrows to measure as the third-most creative player the Championship currently has to offer.
His willingness to constantly get on the ball and split open defences at will has been the driving force behind Watford's relative early-season success, with the Hornets currently sat just outside the play-offs by virtue of goal difference.
But, make no mistake about it, these sorts of numbers speak volumes and arguably add a sense of doubt about whether Watford are going to be able to keep the prized playmaking star at the club beyond the January transfer window.
According to a report from The Sun, Wolves have shortlisted Chakvetadze ahead of a potential January swoop. The report claims that scouts watched the midfielder in action against Leeds United last Tuesday and could be looking to prize him away in a bid to retain their top-flight status this season, with Gary O'Neil's side currently second-from-bottom in the Premier League.
However, it's also reported that Watford, who managed to tie down the 33-cap Georgia international to a new five-year deal only last month, are holding out for up to £20 million in order to part ways.
It'll be interesting to observe how the saga pans out in the months leading up to the opening of the winter window, that's for sure. Watford have strengthened their hand exponentially by convincing Chakvetadze to commit to a bumper new long-term deal in what feels like an obvious future-proofing exercise heading into January and beyond, but they'll still face a challenge in keeping hold of him if he continues to orchestrate such a captivating creative impact.
Easy on the eye with a fantastic passing range and vision coupled with ease, elegance and speed when driving forward at opposition defenders, Chakvetadze is exactly the X-Factor profile of player who can create chances out of nothing and relegation-threatened Wolves don't need any reminder of just how much they would currently benefit from that sort of influence.
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