Watford drop interest in Tottenham midfielder in face of Champions League bidder

For a while there, it was looking like pretty much a done deal that Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Benjamin Stambouli was on his way to Watford to join up with former Hotspurs Etienne Capoue and Gomes. That all changed in the past couple of days after Champions League powerhouse and Ligue 1 club Paris St.-Germain made a bid for the Frenchman. Now it appears that Watford have admitted defeat and have dropped all interest in signing Stambo.

Despite previously saying that he had no intention of returning to France and wanting to stay in the Premier League, Stambouli obviously found the prospect of playing Champions League football more attractive than a relegation battle in the EPL. According to the Standard, PSG offered £6m for Stambo, compared to £5.5 from the Hornet-Moose. Watford dropping its interest entirely certainly means that the PSG links are real and that Stambouli is likely to complete his transfer and move to Paris.

I suspect this deal is nearly in the bag too, and that we should be hearing about a Stambouli medical in Paris within a few days.