Watford boss Quique Flores reveals loan deal close for ex-West Ham star

Alessandro Diamanti is on his way back to the Premier League

ALESSANDRO DIAMANTI is edging closer to a loan move to Watford, boss Quique Flores has confirmed.

 

But the playmaker's signature is likely to come too late for him to feature in Saturday's clash with West Brom.

The former West Ham forward is training with the Hornets and is set to sign on a season-long loan deal from Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande.

But the time difference between the two countries is understood to be holding up the completion of paperwork as club officials try to thrash out the deal.

And Flores believes that Diamanti – who has 17 caps for Italy – could provide the kind of creative spark he is looking for behind striker Troy Deeney.

"He’s training with us every day," said Hornets boss Flores of the 32-year-old. 

"He’s performing well and at a good level and the teams are talking to arrange the last details and he has the possibility to be incorporated onto the list.

 

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"It's difficult for Saturday but it’s close.

"He brings technical qualities, his vision of the pitch and he is really strong at set-pieces with free-kicks so it is very, very nice to have him. He also has experience which is important for us.

"I love players with quality – now we have a good group of players who can play differently, who can make the ball move quickly in the last third. 

"We need speed. We now have [Steven] Berghuis, [Almen] Abdi, [Jose Manuel] Jurado, Diamanti – this is part of the style of the team. 

"I don’t want to forget the past but it is a good difference. If you allowed the players to attack, they will attack with freedom and that is good for us."

Diamanti should provide even more competition in forward areas with the likes of Matej Vydra struggling to make Flores’ starting eleven.

 

The Czech international striker admitted this week he is itching to be a success and prove former club West Brom wrong for opting to sell him.

But Flores says Vydra may have to bide his time for a chance to impress.

He added: “I would like 14 of 15 players in the side but I can’t. It depends on the feelings I have of the players during the week before I make my choice.

“I want them to fight and play well. At the end of training I want to be happy with what I want.

“If a player is not starting during the season that doesn’t mean they can’t recover their role in the squad.”

Abdi and Beghuis returned to training this week and Flores says both will come into contention for a place in his matchday squad. 

He added: “At the start of the week they were training but they weren’t at the same level as the rest of the group. But I think they will be ready for tomorrow.”