By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Watford midfielder Tom Dele-Bashiru is drawing serious interest from top-tier Italian clubs, with Serie A side Parma reportedly leading the race for his signature.
According to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth, the 25-year-old is eager to leave Vicarage Road following another failed push for promotion to the Premier League.
Watford are said to be open to a permanent transfer, provided their €10 million valuation is met.
Dele-Bashiru, a product of Manchester City’s academy, is also being tracked by Italian outfits Bologna and Cremonese, while Greek Super League side PAOK have also registered interest in the Nigerian international.
Since joining Watford in 2019, the central midfielder has made 79 appearances across all competitions, contributing eight goals and four assists.
A former Nigeria U-20 international, Dele-Bashiru is known for his energy, technical ability, and versatility in midfield.
Watford are expected to weigh their options in the coming days as European clubs continue to monitor the situation ahead of the transfer window’s close.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
