One to watch: Will Hughes

Amidst all the brouhaha over the glittery stars and expensive recruits of the premier league, there is one player who is, and always has been, quietly going about his business and slowly emerging as potentially one of the league's finest young talents. Watford midfielder Will Hughes has had an impressive start to the season, playing a key role in each of the 3 wins for the Hornets. The path which young Will Hughes took to reach the Premier League is, although seemingly logical, somewhat of a rarity among young players these days.

The big clubs' interest in Hughes dates back to his Derby days in 2013 when he was just 17 years old. He was reportedly on the radar of Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and even Barcelona, with people likening him to Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard and Barcelona legend Xavi. The then Derby Boss Steve McLaren even admitted that it may be tough to keep hold of Hughes since a number of clubs were lining up for his signature. Despite that, Hughes chose to remain in Derby. By his own admission, he valued playing 'real football' lower down the leagues, even if that meant giving up lucrative offers elsewhere. As a result, Hughes has now crossed the 200 appearances mark at senior level, making almost 150 more senior appearances than his former England U-21 teammate Ruben Loftus Cheek; that too after an 8-month spell on the sidelines following a cruciate ligament injury.

The Watford midfielder is known for his short passes and ability to keep possession in tight spaces. His talent was recognized by former Derby boss Nigel Clough, who has been a major influence for Hughes. Clough fast-tracked the youngster into the first team at just 16 years of age, and a first-team debut soon followed. Clough saw the bags of potential Hughes possessed, which is why according to him rumors of Liverpool and Barcelona were 'inevitable'. However, the youngster decided to stay put and resisted the temptation to be 'mollycoddled' by a big club, as he put it:

"A lot of young players get mollycoddled at the big clubs now, I can imagine."

So Hughes continued to ply his trade in the Championship, until last year when Marco Silva decided to snap him up and Hughes felt it was the right time and the right boss. However, establishing himself as a regular under the current Everton manager's team wasn't straightforward for him by any means. He picked up a hamstring injury and by the time he recovered, Silva was gone and in came the Javi Gracia. Under Gracia, Hughes got the string of appearances he craved and ended the season on a positive note. Now he's an integral player in the Watford side, where he plays on the right-hand side of a narrow 4-4-2, with Pereyra occupying the opposite flank, and Capoue partnering Doucoure in the middle of the park. While goalscoring has not been the most regular feature of his game, he realizes the importance of it and his thunderous strike against Burnley is an example of his ability to find the back of the net.

The youngster's approach has been refreshing, to say the least, and seems to be paying dividends. It's definitely an example for the next generation of players out there. The injury is definitely a concern for Hughes, and should he remain injury free, consistency is the next big step. Watford face Spurs on Sunday. Spurs, like Watford, have 3 wins from 3 games in the league so far this season. Anything but a loss would be a bonus for Watford, so they can and ought to really have a go, and so too should Will Hughes.