Championship rivals Watford and Sunderland are set to miss out on the signing Declan Frith after he completed his switch to a club in the second division of Switzerland.
It was revealed last week by Spanish outlet Marca, when the Englishman abroad was still with Valencia, that La Liga side Getafe were keen to acquire the services of the 22-year-old and that his representatives had planned to travel to Madrid to complete a deal with Geta Azulones. However, the publication further claimed that Watford, Sunderland and fellow English second-tier outfit Queens Park Rangers were also keeping tabs on Frith’s situation at Valencia.
Nevertheless, all three teams in the Championship have now lost out on the signature of the former Chelsea and Aston Villa academy star as Frith has penned a three-year deal with Swiss Challenge League side FC Thun, with the option to extend his stay by a further twelve months.
In a written statement on the club’s website, Thun’s sporting director Dominik Albrecht announced that he is delighted by the addition of the young centre-forward to the squad and has highlighted what he will bring to the side.
“Declan will further enliven our offense with his unpredictability and speed. He can also use these strengths to his advantage in 1:1 situations.
“We are delighted to have him in our team immediately.”
Frith played 15 times last season for Valencia B in which he scored merely one goal, primarily playing off the left-hand side of a front three, although he can also operate on the right and through the middle, making him quite a versatile attacker, but he will not be returning to England in the immediate future.
The Hornets have already been quite busy in recent weeks after announcing on Tuesday that the ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United midfielder Moussa Sissoko has re-joined the club on a free transfer, complementing the arrivals of youngsters Mamadou Doumbia and Rocco Vata, while experienced goalkeeper Jonathan Bond has also re-joined the Hertfordshire outfit.
Meanwhile, the Black Cats announced earlier today that former Preston North End captain Alan Browne has moved to the Stadium of Light after recently leaving Deepdale as a free agent.
Writer’s View
Frith had a solid record during his time in the West Midlands. Throughout the 2022/23 campaign with Villa’s U23s in the Premier League 2, the young forward scored six goals and registered five assists in just 12 matches so it was unsurprising to hear that clubs in England were looking to bring him back home after hearing he was available on the market.
Nevertheless, Frith has decided to remain abroad and to try his luck in yet another country. Perhaps joining Thun offers him a quicker pathway to first-team football than if he had moved to either Watford or Sunderland instead this summer.
Deputy Head of Writing
