OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL: Juventus sell Roberto Pereyra to Watford for €13 million

Roberto Pereyra arrived at Juventus as a young player with plenty of promise. His first season in bianconero only proved that to be true. But his second season with Juventus, one that also ended with the club lifting the Scudetto, was from what we saw the first time around.

Even before Pereyra could officially begin his third season in Turin, his Juventus career has come to an end.

Watford announced on Friday that they have acquired the Argentine midfielder and brought him English Premier League for €13 million in cold hard cash plus a potential €2 million more in bonuses. Pereyra, who was in England on Thursday to complete his medical examinations, reportedly agreed to a five-year contract to trade in his experience in Serie A for the EPL.

Pereyra arrived in Turin in the summer of 2014 on loan, with his move made permanent 12 months later after Juventus picked up their option to buy, paying Udinese — the club that brought him to Italy after a spell at River Plate — €14 million to acquire the Argentina international outright.

But after his future was extended in Turin at least one more season, things took a downturn for the 25-year-old Pereyra. In an injury-plagued 2015-16 campaign, Pereyra played just less than 800 Serie A minutes, while only starting nine of his 13 league appearances. At the same time, recorded just one assist and failed to hit the back of the net.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the money that Juventus had recently invested in him.

But with the likes of Mario Lemina developing into a midfielder who’s showing glimpses of a bright future and Juventus adding Miralem Pjanic this summer, Pereyra had become surplus goods. While he had appeared in just about every Juve friendly this summer, rumors were a constant regarding his future with the club. Watford was one of the most consistent clubs linked with a move for Pereyra — and that’s exactly where he has ended up.

Enjoy England, Roberto. And may those interesting hairstyles continue to grace those in your presence.