Malky Mackay has confirmed Watford are in discussions with QPR over extending the loan spell of Heidar Helguson.
The Hornets tied up a deal for Tom Cleverley last week and Mackay confirmed on Saturday that the club’s recruitment department are in “ongoing discussions” with Manchester United, Arsenal and QPR over prolonging the stay of Craig Cathcart, Henri Lansbury and Helguson.
The striker’s five goals in four appearances has increased his legendary status at the club where he scored 64 goals during his initial five-and-a-half years spell.
But despite there being no loan fee involved when he rejoined the club in September and QPR paying half of the 32-year-old’s wages, there are still doubts as to whether the club can afford to pay his wages for the rest of the season, following the release of Watford Leisure Plc’s annual results two weeks ago - where it was stated a £6.5m hole needed to be filled before June 2010.
However, when asked about the club’s attempts to extend Helguson’s loan following the 3-0 victory over Scunthorpe United, Mackay said: “In all our loans, discussions are ongoing with their clubs at the moment and I have nothing else to say at the moment.
“It is something we would have to talk to his club about. Heidar has come back in and he has hit the ground running in terms of the way he adapts to our team and adapts to a different environment, but he is an international footballer so I wouldn't expect anything less from him. That is why we wanted to get him in the first place.”
A first-half double from Helguson and Danny Graham’s first goal in eight matches meant Watford cruised to a 3-0 win over Scunthorpe to climb up to eighth place.
“We scored three goals, kept a clean sheet and got three points so it certainly was very pleasing,” Mackay said..
“I think coming back after a two week international break you always hope you have done the right thing in terms of the time you give them off, the training, the fitness work you do and just the boys being away from each other for a couple of days.
“So to come back and to win a game like that and to end up with a performance like that, I was very pleased, with the clean sheet especially.”
To hear the whole of Mackay’s post-match press conference, click here
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