Darren Byfield’s backing Troy Deeney
Tuesday 27th July 2010, 10:55AM BST.
Darren Byfield has backed pal Troy Deeney to be a Championship star – but wants him to stay at Walsall.
The Saddlers have rejected three bids from Watford for the in-demand 22-year-old and are prepared to play hardball.
All eyes will be on Deeney if he plays against Villa at the Banks’s Stadium tonight, as the race hots up for his signature.
And Byfield reckons his strike-partner would thrive in the Championship if he left.
He said: “I’ve spent most of my career in the Championship and there are a lot of players in that league who aren’t as good as Troy.
“If he moves he will score goals in that league. If he stays he will score goals in this one – and we want him to stay.
“You get a lot of players who are good but don’t want to listen – they think they’ve made it.
“He isn’t like that, he’s a winner.”
The club are waiting to see if the Hornets return with a fourth offer, but with cash tight at Vicarage Road they are unlikely to break the bank for Deeney.
Sources close to Vicarage Road claim their transfer budget is no more than £300,000, so any further bid for Deeney would wipe out most of manager Malky Mackay’s kitty.
The Express & Star understands they have tabled three bids in the region of £100,000, but Walsall have heard nothing since rejecting the third offer last week.
The Saddlers don’t expect Deeney to push for a move, with the striker having a year left on his current deal.
And Byfield believes the forward won’t lose focus amid the transfer talk and reckons he will target 20 goals for the Saddlers this season.
He said: “When I came in I was impressed with him. It’s no secret he’s being linked with other clubs, I don’t get involved with that part, but if he does stay it’s a fact Walsall would be a better team.
“Whatever happens, happens but if he’s here I don’t see any reason why he can’t get 20 goals.”
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£100k – Watford, you’re having a laugh! We want £300k minimum (should pay most of the rent!) – why should we give away our best players to clubs such as Watford and Cardiff (£200k for Anthony Gerrard!) who are in financial trouble? If Watford can’t pay what Deeney is worth then they ain’t having him. I still don’t think he will set the Championship alight from what I have seen at the Banks’s but I am willing to be proved wrong.
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Lets start lookin 4 a new striker cus e will b gone b 4 the start off the season….
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Agree with ‘lol’. All these recent press releases have been to make the fans aware of interest in Deeney, with Byfield also backing up that he ‘is’ a championship player.
Therefore when he does go, there will be less uproar from the fans side as they were possibly expecting it…
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Sell im 4 £350.000 rent paid one player short sorted..
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