Watford linked with 12-cap international defender

Watford have been linked with a move for Olympiacos and Senegal defender Pape Abou Cisse.

As per the Daily Star‘s exclusive, the centre-back is under transfer consideration at Vicarage Road.

Other clubs are also said to hold an interest in the 26-year-old, with Brighton and Hove Albion, Stade Rennais and Nice also monitoring the defender’s situation.

There could, however, be a big stumbling block for Watford considering they have just been relegated from the Premier League.

Olympiacos are said to value the Senegalese international at £13 million pounds, a fee that would surely put the player out of the Hornets reach now they are back in the Championship.

Pape Abou Cisse began his career in his native Senegal with AS Pikine before being successful in a trial with French club Ajaccio.

That trial saw the then young defender move to France, where he would remain for two years, appearing 74 times for Ajaccio in Ligue 2 and the Coupe de la Ligue.

In the 2017/18 season a move to Greek giants Olympiacos came to fruition, where Cisse remains to this day.

During his five years at the club, he has made 132 appearances for them in all competitions, including matches in the Europa League and Champions League.

In the 2020/21 season, the 26-year-old headed back to France, this time to Ligue 1, on loan with Saint Etienne, appearing 15 times for the club in the second half of that campaign.

A Senegalese international and teammate of Watford’s Ismaila Sarr, Cisse has been capped 12 times by his country.

As good a signing as this could be for Watford, it’s hard to believe there is anything in this.

Perhaps Cisse was a signing for the Hornets were considering had they remained in the Premier League, but surely a drop down to the