Watford's Irankunda Wants to Leave Amid Transfer Dispute
Watford's attempts to keep hold of Nestory Irankunda are threatening to turn into a transfer stand-off. The winger is now pushing to leave as fresh details emerge over why the Sporting deal has stalled. The Portuguese champions remain confident of signing the Australia international, but negotiations have dragged on despite Sporting making what is still the only formal offer on the table.
The offer amounts to €15m (£13m) plus €5m (£4.3m) in bonuses. According to Correio da Manhã, Irankunda has made it clear to Watford that he wants the move to happen. He has grown frustrated by the Championship club's stance. The newspaper claims the 20-year-old temporarily removed all references to Watford from his Instagram account last week as a show of his dissatisfaction, believing Sporting's proposal is fair and that the club should not stand in the way of an opportunity to play Champions League football.
Why it Matters for Watford
The disagreement over the transfer fee has been well documented, but there is another layer to the negotiations. O Jogo reports that Watford are also in discussions with Bayern Munich, who are entitled to 40% of any future transfer fee received for Irankunda. This would explain why the transfer has taken longer than expected, as Watford are effectively juggling negotiations on two separate fronts.
What Comes Next?
Irankunda has already told Watford he is determined to join Sporting. He has ruled out alternative destinations, including Hull City, Lille, and Club Brugge. The report claims the Australian has turned down interest from these clubs, remaining focused on a move to Lisbon. Sporting are still waiting for Watford's response and remain optimistic, but they have made it clear they will not increase their offer. This leaves the Championship club under growing pressure, with their player openly pushing for the move while negotiations continue both in England and Germany.
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 16th in Championship, 57 pts, 14W-15D-17L from 46 games, recent form LLLLL. Goals this season: 53 scored, 65 conceded (-12 goal difference). Title race: 38 points behind leaders Coventry. Last result: Watford 0-4 Coventry (2026-05-02). Recent form (last 5): 0W-0D-5L (LLLLL, most recent first); lost the last 5. Next fixture: vs Cardiff (away, 2026-10-13).
