After watching Tony Watt playing against Blackburn for Cardiff and Charlton earlier this month Paul Lambert didn’t have to think twice about taking the striker to Ewood Park.
Yesterday the 22-year-old signed a loan deal with Blackburn which will be made permanent at the end of the season.
Watt failed to score in his two appearances against Blackburn but his performance in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at The Valley convinced Lambert to make his move.
“This deal has happened really quickly,” the Blackburn boss told his club’s website. “Tony came to the fore and we thought let’s go and see if we can do something.
“He’s a big, big talent. He’s only a young guy, but he’s been through a lot in his football career for somebody so young, so I’m delighted he’s here.
“I knew exactly what he was like from that great spell he had up at Celtic, when he burst onto the scene and scored that winner against Barcelona, which probably thrust him into the limelight.
“He’s maybe lost his way a little bit since then, but this is a chance for him to get going again.
“He stood out in the games against us recently and he was a real threat to us. I’d rather have him in my side than not and I think he could be a big part in what we are trying to do here.”
With Jordan Rhodes about to sign for Middlesborough Watt appears to be a direct replacement for the Scotland striker but Lambert sees things slightly differently.
“I wouldn’t say he’s an out-and-out striker,” he added. “He can play in behind and you saw in the two games he played against us, he was a threat and if we can get the best out of him, then we’ve got a real talent on our hands.
“He’s only 22, so we don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but I think we’ve been needing somebody like him to help us. He’ll make mistakes, like everybody else, but it’s a great opportunity for him and hopefully he’ll make a big impact for us.
“He’s somebody I think we needed. He’s played in big games before, he knows the league, he’s played a lot of games in it and it’s just a case of getting the best out of him, but he’s got that raw talent that can produce something that others can’t.”