Watford Secure Canada’s Most Promising Talent Since Alphonso Davies

It is a historic transfer for Major League Soccer side CF Montréal. The club announced on Monday that they had transferred super talent Ismaël Koné to Championship side Watford in what is a record transfer for the club. Transfermarkt has since reported that the deal is worth between €8 million and €10 million ($8.4 million-10.5 million).

“We are very happy for Ismaël,” CF Montréal chief sporting officer Olivier Renard said in a club statement. “Both his evolution as a player and the outcome of this transfer has been very fast. The Club has helped him grow as a player, but also as an individual, and I am proud of his progression. When the talent is there, it is not a question of age or experience. He made his choice from among several options available to him. Ismaël is certainly a great example for young Montrealers and Quebecers.”

Koné’s evolution as a player has indeed been remarkable. Signed from amateur club Saint-Laurent in August 2021, the central midfielder saw his Transfermarkt market value rise from nothing to €6 million ($6.3 million) in just 18 months. Born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast but raised in Canada, Koné impressed throughout the 2022 MLS season scoring three goals and five assists in 35 games across all competitions.

A dynamic central midfielder, Koné’s talent quickly became evident, and Canadian men’s national team head coach John Herdman gave him a call-up for the World Cup qualifiers in March. Koné played 10 minutes in the loss to Costa Rica and then, in the buildup to the World Cup, was a constant part of the squad scoring his first goal for Canada in a friendly against Bahrain on Nov. 11, 2022.

Herdman then included Koné in his World Cup squad, and although Canada did not make it out of the group, it was quickly evident that the 20-year-old was a special talent. Capable of playing as a central midfielder, defensive midfielder, and even as a no.10, Koné is perhaps the biggest talent produced by Canadian football since the emergence of Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies.

Koné’s emergence as one of Canada’s biggest stars was not lost on European clubs. Sheffield United came close to sign the midfielder last summer, but a deal fell through at the last minute. That was perhaps an opportunity lost by the Blades as other clubs started to notice Koné, and ultimately, it was Watford that won the race to sign the super talent.

“I first heard of their interest in September,” Koné said in an interview with Watford’s club media. “My agent came to me and spoke to me about their project. At the time, I was quite busy with many games going on, but I always knew it could be a good stepping stone for my career.”

Watford is owned by the Pozzo family, which also controls Serie A club Udinese, and there is a chance that Koné could be loaned to Italy to receive first-division minutes. That progression could be vital should Watford get promoted to the PremierPINC
League.

As far as stepping-stone clubs go, Watford might also be a good choice. The Championship can be relentless for young talent, but Watford’s record is better than that of most English clubs in the second division. The most prominent example of a player developed by Watford is Brazilian star Richarlison.

For Koné, development is now the most crucial aspect. Because make no mistake, Koné’s ceiling is incredibly high. The Canadian midfielder might already be the most promising player developed by Major League Soccer since the emergence of Alphonso Davies. Davies, of course, is now a world star at Bayern Munich and the best player playing his position.

Manuel Veth is the host of the Bundesliga Gegenpressing Podcast and the Area Manager USA at Transfermarkt. He has also been published in the Guardian, Newsweek, Howler, Pro Soccer USA, and several other outlets. Follow him on Twitter: @ManuelVeth