Watford eyeing transfer swoop for Spartak Moscow player | OneFootball

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Valerien Ismael has been hard at work upon taking the reigns at Watford over the summer in a bid to propel the club higher up the table this term.

The Hornets finished 11th last season but it is hard to feel that things could not be very different this time around following an array of fresh acquisitions.

Former Cardiff City forward Rhys Healey, who found success over in France with Toulouse, emerged as Watford's opening summer signing back in June.

From there, Watford have brought exciting Brazilian winger Matheus Martins back to Vicarage Road on loan, recruited experienced Championship stalwarts in Tom Ince and Jake Livermore, secured Jamal Lewis on a temporary basis from Newcastle United and also made the interesting capture of Giorgi Chakvetadze.

Watford's striker search

It has been a hugely positve summer for Watford, although it will ultimately be defined by whether or not they can seal a striker before the window slams shut at the end of this month.

Healey, of course, is a frontman by trade, but he has spent a lot of time out with injury in his career and therefore cannot be solely relied upon.

And after drawing 0-0 at home to newly-promoted outfit Plymouth Argyle on Saturday afternoon, Ismael was swift to reassure that they are proactively looking to address the shortcomings in the final third.

“We know what we have to do. I think everyone can see so it’s not a secret,” explained Ismael.

"We are working behind the scenes to get the solution and hopefully we can get our number one target that we looking for.”

It comes amid their interest in FC Midtjylland's Sory Kaba, who has transpired as a transfer target for a range of Championship clubs following an impressive half-season on loan with Cardiff last time out.

But, with negotiations over in Denmark yet to advance, Watford are also monitoring Sparktak Moscow striker Shamar Nicholson, according to The Athletic.

Who is Watford transfer target Shamar Nicholson?

The 26-year-old currently plies his trade in the Russian capital, where he has been since December 2019.

Nicholson has scored 12 goals in 43 games across all competitions for Spartak, while also notching 11 from 38 on the international stage with Jamaica.

Nicholson finished the 2022/23 Russian Premier League campaign with just three goals from 22 matches to his name as his side finished 3rd, four points behind cross-city rivals CSKA Moscow.

The striker initially made his name back in the homeland with Boys' Town FC, for whom he netted 28 times in just 30 games before ascending to Europe with Slovenian side Domzale.

His goalscoring form continued there, and 20 strikes in two years were enough to covince Sporting Charleroi in Belgium to take a punt.

32 goals in 83 affairs followed prior to penning a move to Moscow.

Would Shamar Nicholson be a good signing for Watford?

Although the most recent campaign does not read well, it could just be an off-season of sorts for Nicholson, who has previously scored with regularlity wherever he has been.

Ismael has a good track record with physical, aerially-supreme strikers and could get the Reggae Boyz forward firing on all cylinders yet again.

That said, though, Kaba may prove a better option for them to pursue first courtesy of his guarantee of goals at this level- but, if that fails to materialise, Nicholson is definitely a good back-up option.