Watford's £17m summer sale of Nestory Irankunda is now starring in the UEFA Champions League while his former club battles at the wrong end of the Championship. The 20-year-old forward has started Sporting CP's last four matches across all competitions, playing 79 minutes in a 3-2 Champions League defeat to LASK.
Irankunda signed a contract with the Portuguese champions until 2031, which includes an €80m release clause. Since his move, he has averaged 3.51 chances created per 90 minutes in Liga Portugal and provided two assists for striker Luis Suarez in wins over Braga and RC Lens. His cross completion rate in the league stands at 60 percent.
Watford's current struggles
Watford, meanwhile, are 21st in the Championship with 11 points from 12 games, having lost four of their last five matches. Their most recent result was a 1-0 defeat away to Wolves on 24 October, a game settled by Adam Armstrong's first-half strike. The club's form reads one win and four losses from the last five outings. This recent sequence includes a 2-0 win over Charlton on 17 October, with goals from Luca Kjerrumgaard and Jordan Zemura, but also heavy defeats such as a 5-1 loss at Cardiff and a 4-0 home loss to Burnley.
Manager Alessio Dionisi is working with a squad that saw limited investment over the summer, following the sales of Irankunda, Giorgi Chakvetadze and Imran Louza. Watford have scored just 10 league goals this season while conceding 20, leaving them 14 points adrift of the automatic promotion places. Their overall record stands at three wins and two draws from their 12 matches so far.
The club's next match is a key away fixture against 20th-placed Norwich City on Saturday, 31 October. Watford made 42 appearances for the Hornets, scoring four goals and registering five assists, but also accumulated 12 yellow cards and one red during his time at Vicarage Road.
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