This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Watford's Giorgi Chakvetadze is likely to earn interest in the January transfer window, and the club have been backed to collect a fee similar to what they commanded for Joao Pedro if the Georgian playmaker does indeed move on to pastures new.
The Hornets have emerged as something of a dark horse in the 2024/25 Championship campaign. They've sustained their place in contention for a play-off spot, and Tom Cleverley's side are currently sitting in eighth position, just two points shy of sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion and with a game in hand.
A number of players have caught the eye at Vicarage Road but perhaps none more so than Chakvetadze, who has been a joy to watch this season. The 35-cap Georgia international displayed encouraging signs during his first season with the club last time out but has gone up to another level this time around and may well have no shortage of suitors following the turn of the year.
Giorgi Chakvetadze's 24/25 Championship stats for Watford, via FotMob, as of December 12
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Chances created
xA
Successful dribbles
Chakevtadze has returned a goal and four assists from 19 appearances so far but has established himself among the Championship's leading creative players, with only Finn Azaz and Alfie Doughty currently eclipsing him in the chances created department.
Transfer interest in Watford's Giorgi Chakvetadze
There has already been reported interest in the 25-year-old which really isn't all that much of a surprise. According to a previous report from The Sun, which was published back in October, scouts on behalf of Premier League side Wolves had watched Chakvetadze in action before shortlisting him as a transfer target ahead of the January window.
The report claimed that Watford are holding out for up to £20 million for Chakvetadze, who put pen to paper on a new five-year contract only in September in an exercise which will doubtless strengthen the Hornets' bargaining power.
Giorgi Chakvetadze
It was added that other undisclosed Premier League clubs share an interest, and given that Chaketadze has continued to impress since then, you would imagine that a host of top-flight suitors remain, be it domestically or overseas.
Watford may get a similar fee for Giorgi Chakvetadze as they did for Joao Pedro
We asked our resident Hornets fan pundit, Justin Beattie, to name the one player at the club with the highest price-tag and where he would personally value them. Rather unsurprisingly, Justin opted with Chakvetadze.
While he stopped short of declaring an outright specific valuation, he does believe that Watford will collect at least eight figures for Chakvetadze, who could command a similar fee to Joao Pedro. The Brazilian forward proved an inspired buy for Watford and went on to join Brighton and Hove Albion for a reported fee of just under £30 million last summer, where he's continued to impress.
Joao Pedro scores in Brighton 4-1 Crystal Palace
"I think at the moment, the player at Vicarage Road with the highest price tag would be Giorgi Chakvetadze," Justin told Football League World.
"There are certainly one, if not two Premier League teams sniffing around to see if they can secure his services. He has recently signed a longer contract with Watford, so it's going to require a fairly-hefty chunk of money to prize him away from us.
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"It's not easily quantifiable [to estimate player valuations], however I would be surprised if he went for less money than Joao Pedro, so we're talking in excess of £10 million but that would just be my estimation."