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Celtic and Brentford are among a host of clubs interested in Watford youngster Jack Grieves, Football League World can exclusively reveal.
Who is Jack Grieves?
The 18-year-old forward is highly-rated at Vicarage Road, so much so that he was involved in the first-team in the previous campaign.
Grieves featured in an FA Cup defeat against Reading back in January, whilst he also made substitute appearances in Championship games against Blackpool and the final day win over Stoke City.
That was a reward for Grieves’ impressive form with the development side over the years, with the striker having shone for the Hornets at that level.
And, his form and potential have caught the eye, as FLW can confirm that a host of clubs are keeping tabs on the player, but we have been told that it’s Celtic and Brentford that are the main two in terms of trying to get a deal done.
Will Jack Grieves join Celtic or Brentford?
It was revealed last month that Grieves had been offered a contract by Watford, as they look to keep the boyhood fan at the club, but it seems apparent he is mulling over his future as other clubs register their interest with the player, who is free to decide his next move.
Of course, if Grieves does move on, the Championship side would be entitled to compensation due to his age, but it would still be a blow for Watford, as they look to keep the academy graduate at the club for the years to come.
If a move to Brentford materialises, it would seem inevitable that he joins the B team initially. The Londoners have put a real focus on adding young talent to that group, with South Korean centre-back Kim Ji-Soo joining despite interest from Bayern Munich and Sporting CP earlier this summer.
Meanwhile, Celtic are also an attractive option, with the Scottish clubs B team playing in the Scottish lowland league, whilst Grieves may feel there is a better path to the first-team with the Glasgow giants.
What does this mean for Watford?
If Grieves does move on, it will continue a worrying trend for Watford, who have seen some exciting talents leave the club already this summer.
Whilst they aren’t a club who are known for giving academy players a chance, it will leave some questioning the purpose of the academy if another youngster moves on before they get an opportunity to make their mark in the senior side.
Harry Amass, a 16-year-old left-back, has agreed a deal to join Manchester United, whilst Adrian Blake has moved to Dutch side Utrecht as he looks for first-team opportunities in the coming years.
Obviously, it’s not certain that Grieves will be on the move, and the one positive with the top level interest in the striker is that it does prove the club’s academy is producing quality, even if they don’t go on to fulfil that potential with Watford.
