Portugese football expert gives lowdown on Watford loan signing

After all, have Watford ever had a player at the club who has a €100m buy-out clause in their contract?!

Ever since the loan signing of Benfica’s Portuguese Under-21 striker Henrique Araujo was mentioned, the general consensus in the football world is that Watford really have pulled off a coup.

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Bilic was clearly buzzing when he talked about Araujo yesterday and, to coin a phrase the head coach often uses himself, you have to tip your cap in the direction of the club’s recruitment team as they have clearly convinced the player, his manager Roger Schmidt and Benfica that the striker will benefit from spending the next few months at Watford.

Indeed, Schmidt said yesterday: “It’s a great opportunity to develop in the Championship. I believe in him a lot. It’s a great opportunity for him to come back in the summer and show his full potential.”

Araujo in action for Benfica against Estoril Praia (Image: Action Images)

Although there is a very fair argument that if the club had made this sort of signing in the summer the gap between Watford and the top two might be a lot less, at least Gino Pozzo is equipping Bilic with the tools to have a proper go at catching them between now and May – especially if the “midfielder, winger” elements of his three-pronged transfer needs also come to fruition.

For now, though, it’s exciting to consider that Watford have managed to attract such a piece of European hot property to Vicarage Road. Exactly what have they signed though?

I asked Portuguese football expert Aaron Barton of website Proxima Jornada about Henrique Araujo.

Is it a surprise that Watford have secured the signing?

Aaron Barton: It is and it isn’t! What I mean by this is the decision to loan Araújo is a surprise if you’re like me and believe that he is good enough to make an impact at Benfica whether that be coming off the bench or playing in cup games.

On the flip side, Roger Schmidt clearly feels that Araújo’s development would be better served if he was to go and play regular football somewhere, as opposed to coming on late at the end of games for Benfica, so in that regard it’s not a surprise that the club have secured a loan for him in a competitive league where they feel he will get valuable minutes.

What are the main attributes that Araujo will bring?

AB: If given chances, Araújo should bring goals! He is a centre forward who is very busy around the 18-yard box, has fantastic movement and great positional sense. He is a terrific finisher and often needs just one touch to score.

The Championship is regarded as a physical league where opponents shut you down quickly. How will he handle that?

AB: I think he will embrace the challenge. He strikes me as a player with a good attitude who when faced with new challenges is able to adapt well.

The physicality in the Championship is a step up from what he is used to and it will be a challenge for him but a lot of Araújo’s strength is in his mind, in his ability to slip away from defenders and make intelligent runs to evade challenges.

A bonus I suppose is that he isn’t coming straight from youth football as he’s played in the Portuguese second division and also in the Primeira Liga, both against seasoned professionals. 

Araujo contests a header against Vizela (Image: Action Images)

Were other clubs trying to loan/sign him?

AB: Some top clubs were reportedly monitoring him in the hopes of possibly acquiring him on a permanent basis such as Real Madrid and Liverpool, although that was largely at the end of last season after his superb performances in the Segunda Liga.

More and more top clubs are now buying directly from Portugal now so it’s no surprise that a young striker performing well for both club and country has been linked with moves away.

How does he compare to other leading Portuguese forwards currently playing?

AB: It’s hard and probably unfair to say really given that the leading players Araújo is aspiring to be like have all tested themselves at the top level, so he is not quite there yet.

Gonçalo Ramos has found his way into the Benfica first team and hasn’t put a foot wrong, scoring goals in the UEFA Champions League and the Primeira Liga so it’s understandable that Araújo has been unable to dislodge him.

How far can he go in the game?

AB: Honestly I’m a huge fan of his and have been for a number of years so I’d say he can go as far as he wants to. He has a natural instinct for goals that you simply cannot teach but he needs to continue applying himself in order to fulfil his potential.

He’s still very much in the early stages of his career and if he had played more for the Benfica first team we’d all have much more to go on given he’d have been tested more at a higher level. Overall it’s no secret that I’m a great admirer of his!

Araujo (39) celebrates a goal against Newcastle United in pre-season (Image: Action Images)

Will he return to Benfica and expect to be a first team player next season?

AB: It depends on how this loan move goes and that’s the risk with a loan I suppose. If he gets straight into the Watford team and is banging in the goals, it will do wonders for his confidence, especially if he is part of something special like promotion to the Premier League.

I’d expect him to go back to Benfica with his head held high knowing he has more than enough to start in the Primeira Liga, especially if there is a vacant spot in the event of Gonçalo Ramos being sold.

If things don’t go well for whatever reason it will be up to Araújo to deal with it and deal with the setback in the best possible way. 

What do you think he will achieve in his time at Watford?

AB: Honestly I am unsure, I’d have to really know how Watford play in terms of style to make an educated guess on how well I think Araújo will fit in but what I can say is I really hope he does well, both for his sake and also for Watford. 

I am glad he’s going to a team who are fighting at the top end of the table as opposed to a struggling side as that can make a world of difference to a player’s experience and confidence, as we witnessed with the case of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Renato Sanches, a supremely gifted footballer who had a torrid time playing for a Swansea side which ended up getting relegated. 

I’d hope Araújo uses his time in England to develop, overcome the physical challenge and go back to Benfica a more polished and well-rounded player full of confidence.

Earlier this week, Proxima-Jornada wrote in more detail about Araujo and his career so far – click here to have a read.