Watford’s Rocco Vata has risen in prominence this season. The prospect is now drawing interest from Fulham and Crystal Palace.
TuttoAtalanta take a look at the 20-year-old, who has scored two goals and registered two assists in the ongoing campaign.
The outlet report Atalanta have been monitoring the Irishman but Crystal Palace and Fulham are providing strong competition in the chase.
The two clubs have shown an inclination towards recruiting players from the Championship and Vata could be next. Eintracht Frankfurt are also keen and this could prove to be a concern for the Premier League sides.
Atalanta have been keeping an eye on the youngster for the last two years too. Torino and Frosinone have also attempted to sign Vata in the past.
Fulham and Crystal Palace would have to pay between €8m and €12m for the forward, whose price tag has increased over the past two years.
The report mentions that Vata is of interest to “half of Europe”, having joined Watford from Celtic in 2024.
The youngster had scored three Championship goals in his first season at Vicarage Road. He is currently recovering from a hamstring injury but it will not be a shock if he continues to progress this season.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Crystal Palace are accompanied by Newcastle United in circling around Ousmane Diomande.
A BOLA report fresh tension between Sporting and the defender over a new contract. The 21-year-old has resisted the club’s attempts to extend his deal to 2030, despite Sporting offering a salary increase and making him one of their renewal priorities.
The outlet states that Sporting have pushed hard to secure the centre-back’s future, but Diomande’s camp has shown little willingness to accept the terms on the table.
His current contract runs until 2027, and if he enters the final year without renewing, which would be the case in the summer of 2026, a departure becomes easier to execute. With the World Cup also taking place that year, the player knows that market conditions may shift in his favour.
Premier League keeping pressure on ahead of 2026 window:
Crystal Palace remain very much in the picture. As previously reported, the club had €55m ready for a deal in the last window. Now they continue to follow the Sporting defender closely. Now Newcastle United also track him.
But Sporting intend to hold firm. The defender’s €80m release clause is set to remain unchanged in a new contract, should it ever be agreed.
Diomande currently earns around €400k net (€800k gross) per year, and the renewal would at least double that figure, raising him into the upper tier of the club’s wage structure. Even so, his entourage prefer to wait and assess the market next summer.
Sporting’s investment reinforces stance as uncertainty grows:
The report adds context on Sporting’s investment. The Portuguese club paid €7.5m to Midtjylland in 2023, and performance triggers added a further €7m.
Sporting also spent €2m to reduce Midtjylland’s future sell-on share from 20% to 10%. With 110 appearances, six goals and two assists already, the club see him as a major asset and will continue to push for an agreement.
Whether Crystal Palace or Newcastle increase pressure before the summer remains to be seen, but negotiations in Lisbon are currently far from straightforward.