Arsenal were reasonably linked with French starlet Pape Gueye over sometime before Watford announced a deal to bring him at Vicarage Road over a free transfer with the 21-year-old’s contract with Le Harve expiring on June 30th.
Pape Gueye has already penned five year deal with Watford though according to Le Phocéen, the Frenchman was ‘cheated’ by his former agent, who made him sign all the documents in English without giving him context of the same. Therefore he wants to leave Hertfordshire based side before getting there.
There were reports earlier this week coming out of France suggested that Marseille are in direct negotiations with Watford for his signature. Pape’s entourage spoke about Arsenal’s interest and detailed explanation over the Frenchman preferences.
“Marseille are one of the clubs most interested in Pope, It’s clear. There are also Metz, Strasbourg, Angers, Nantes, German, Portuguese and Spanish clubs,” Pape’s entourage are quoted saying. “Arsenal also contacted us with a salary three times higher. But Pape wants to play in Ligue 1 for two or three years before going abroad, and Marseille are clearly in the shortlist. It would be a great club for him.”
Gueye’s entourage also stressed that Pape will not join Watford and look for another club in the summer.
“Pape will not go to Watford. The contract was signed in January, but it has not yet taken effect and no one can force it,” the entourage stressed.
“After that, Watford can ask for severance payments, but they cannot force Pape to play for them. This clause was fixed by the club at €5m, but it is far from the reality of today since the value of the players dropped by half with the health crisis.
“The value of Pape was evaluated between €2-3m and today Transfermarkt value him at €1.6m. The club that wants to sign him must therefore negotiate to drop his clause with Watford.”
