Opinion: Derby’s Festy Ebosele could benefit from a loan at this English club after Udinese transfer

Festy Ebosele has signed a pre-contract agreement with Italian Serie A club Udinese.

The 19-year-old’s Derby County contract is set to expire in the summer, and therefore he makes the move to Italy on a free transfer, though there may be compensation due owing to his age.

Ebosele has appeared 30 times for Derby in the Sky Bet Championship this campaign, but having said that, the step up from England’s second-tier to the Italian Serie A is quite the leap.

If the Italian club feel Ebosele is not yet quite ready to make the jump in levels, they may loan him out for another season, allowing him to continue his development.

Given that he has thrived in the English second-tier, and that Udinese and Watford have the same ownership, Udinese may already have the perfect solution right in front of their eyes.

Watford, at present, look like they are going to be relegated back to the EFL and Sky Bet Championship at the end of this campaign, and if they are, a Watford side who would likely be competing at the top-end of the Championship next season could be a nice landing spot for Ebosele as he looks to ready himself for Serie A.

We have seen throughout the years that Udinese and Watford have a very open relationship when it comes to player movement, with numerous players making the journey from Watford to Udinese or vice-versa each season.

When Watford gained promotion from the EFL last season, for example, they had brought in Francisco Sierralta, William Troost-Ekong and Stipe Perica from Udinese in the summer transfer window.

In the opposite direction that window went Roberto Pereyra, Ignacio Pussetto, and Gerard Deulofeu.

It must be said, there are no signs that this is the plan for Ebosele, and that this is pure speculation, but