According to reports from several media outlets in Italy and the UK, Bove will undergo his medical at Watford on Monday before moving to Vicarage Road on a free transfer.
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Bove recently terminated his contract with his boyhood club Roma as he is currently unable to play for the Giallorossi under Italian law.
Just over a year ago, in early December 2024, Bove fell ill during a Serie A match between Fiorentina and Inter while on loan with Roma’s Viola.
epa11752149 Players and staff block the view of Edoardo Bove of Fiorentina receiving medical attention during the Italian Serie A soccer match between ACF Fiorentina and Inter Milan, in Florence, Italy, December 1, 2024. The match was abandoned after Edoardo Bove of Fiorentina suffered a serious injury 16 minutes into the game. EPA-EFE/CLAUDIO GIOVANNINI
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It was later confirmed that his heart had stopped beating, causing him to collapse on the pitch. He was rushed to the hospital and then fitted with a defibrillator to monitor and regulate his heartbeat. However, under current rules, this prevents him from playing professionally in Italy.
However, having a defibrillator does not stop Bove from playing in the UK. It is a similar situation to the one that saw Christian Eriksen leave Inter after suffering cardiac arrest at EURO 2020, before joining Brentford in the Premier League.
Why Watford makes sense for Bove
Edoardo Bove of ACF Fiorentina looks on during the Serie A match between Empoli and Fiorentina at Stadio Carlo Castellani on September 29, 2024 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
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Watford has been under Italian ownership since 2012, when Giampaolo Pozzo took charge of the club from Laurence Bassini. Ownership of the club passed to Pozzo’s son Gino in 2014.
The Pozzo family are also long-time owners of Serie A club Udinese, and several players, including Matej Vydra, Gerard Deulofeu, Roberto Pereyra, Christian Kabasele, Stefano Okaka and Ken Sema, are among the long list who have played for both teams over the last decade.
Watford’s current sporting director is former Serie A journeyman Valon Behrami, who also moved from Watford to Udinese in 2017 and played for teams such as Genoa, Hellas Verona, Lazio, Fiorentina and Napoli during his playing days.
BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 4: Former Swiss footballer Valon Behrami watches before the TIM Serie A match between Atalanta BC and SS Lazio at the Gewiss Stadium on February 4, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)
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Watford currently sit in eighth place in the EFL Championship, flirting with the play-off positions, and could jump into the top six if they win the game at hand.
This situation offers Bove a competitive challenge as he returns to professional football, albeit at a slightly lower level than he was accustomed to in the early stages of his career: he had been a regular in both the Conference and Europa League during his time with Roma and Fiorentina.
Calafiori’s involvement in Bove’s move to Watford
Playing for Watford also means Bove will be close to one of his oldest and closest friends, Italy international Calafiori.
Edoardo Bove (left) and Riccardo Calafiori (right) during their days in the Roma youth team (photo @richycala via Instagram story)
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Reports in the Watford Observer on Monday claim Calafiori has played a key role in Bove’s decision to join the Hornets.
Bove and Calafiori were born in Rome, are the same age and spent around a decade playing in the same youth teams for both Roma and Italy.
Calafiori has sent several public messages of support to Bove since his worrying experience while on loan at Fiorentina 13 months ago. More recently, when Bove announced that he had terminated his contract with Roma, Calafiori was quick to comment: “See you very soon.”
Geographically, Bove and Calafiori will be very close to each other, given that Watford and Arsenal’s training grounds are next to each other.