Football League World
·20 January 2023
Football League World
·20 January 2023
Benfica striker Henrique Araujo will travel to London today to undergo a medical ahead of his loan move to Watford, Portuguese publication O Jogo have reported – via Sport Witness.
The Hornets agreed the formalities of a deal for the 21-year-old on Thursday, but due to celebrating his birthday yesterday his trip to England was delayed until today.
Araujo will now undergo the relevant tests to make sure he is fit and ready to play for Slaven Bilic’s side, with a straight loan deal on the table with no option to purchase at the end of the season.
The Portugal under-21 international has played 20 times for Benfica’s senior side since his debut in February 2022 – all of those being substitute appearances – but he has scored five times, including twice in the UEFA Champions League.
1 of 20
True False
The recent arrival of Danish forward Casper Tengstedt though has seen the Portuguese giants allow Araujo to depart on loan, where he will compete at Vicarage Road for a starting place with the likes of Keinan Davis and Vakoun Bayo in the central striker role.
The Verdict
It’s a rare thing for a Championship club to be able to get their hands on a player in the same season that they have scored in the UEFA Champions League.
Presumably thanks to new chief scout Helena Costa though, Watford have been able to do just that and their smart recruitment is set to work out once again.
Watford’s striker options haven’t been the most convincing this season, with really only Keinan Davis showing promise and both Rey Manaj and Vakoun Bayo being disappointments.
That is why Araujo’s arrival is an important one, and he could be the man to fire the Hornets back to the Premier League – whether that is through the play-offs or automatic promotion.
Live