“The key here is Rob Edwards” – Did Watford issue the right transfer stance on 20-year-old?: The verdict

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Joao Pedro will not be leaving Watford this summer, as per The Athletic, as the Hornets look to bounce straight back to the Premier League.

It has been a very difficult environment for a 20-year-old this season, as the Hornets were relegated to the Championship with a whimper, and the Brazilian’s performances in the 2020/21 campaign will give supporters hope that he can hit the ground running back in the second tier.

Pedro has three seasons left on his deal at Vicarage Road which puts the club in a very strong position financially, if serious interest does arise.

We gathered the thoughts of a selection of FLW writers to see if they believe it is the right call to keep Pedro at the club and if he can help the club kick on towards promotion…

Josh Cole

This is the correct stance by Watford regarding Joao Pedro’s future as he demonstrated during his most recent campaign in the Championship that he is able to deliver the goods at this level.

In the 2020/21 campaign, the Brazilian provided 12 direct goal contributions in the second tier as the Hornets secured promotion to the top-flight.

Whereas the 20-year-old was less effective in the Premier League, there is no reason why he cannot go on to make a positive impact for Watford later this year.

By producing some consistent performances in the secondtier, the forward could potentially help his side launch a push for a top-two finish.

Charlie Gregory

Joao Pedro is a solid option for Watford to have in their side now they are back in the Championship and could