Watford striker Troy Deeney can emulate QPR man Charlie Austin in the Premier League
Watford's chances of Premier League survival will be significantly boosted if they manage to keep hold of striker Troy Deeney, a mooted target for Swansea this summer.
It's unusual given the striker's phenomenal goals-per-game ratio over recent seasons that nobody has taken a punt on his top flight credentials yet.
There were rumours linking him with QPR last summer and subsequent reports that Rangers turned their attentions elsewhere when Watford demanded more than £8m.
Instead, QPR's goal-scoring burden fell on Charlie Austin's shoulders and despite his best efforts, including 18 goals, the hapless Londoners tumbled straight back into the Championship.
As Austin offered QPR the faintest fragment of hope, Deeney's goal-scoring instincts were finally rewarded with the promise of Premier League football.
Watford gained automatic promotion thanks largely to Deeney's 21 league goals, they have a better team than QPR did 12 months ago, with stronger foundations at the club and a much clearer strategy.
Deeney's personal exploits were hardly surprising considering the Birmingham-born forward had bagged 24 league goals in 2013/4, and 19 the season before.
It's rare for a striker to perform so consistently at this level without joining an established Premier League club. More importantly for Watford, the striker's vast experience in the Championship should lower the risk of top flight football arriving too soon.
While Austin's seamless transition can serve as inspiration to the Watford forward, his own stats over the past few seasons should fill him with even more confidence.
Last season alone, Deeney's 21 goals equated to one every other game while he fired off a shot at goal every 28 minutes.
Encouragingly for Watford, he seemed to improve as the season progressed, finding the net 11 times in his last 14 appearances.
Far from your selfless, goal-poaching centre forward, Deeney finished 2014/15 as the Championship's third most creative striker with nine assists.
In Quique Flores, he now has a manager accustomed to getting the best out of world class players like David Villa, Fernando Morientes, Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero.
Flores knows exactly how a team should be organised to maximise natural goal-scoring talents at the highest level, and you wouldn't bet against Deeney becoming even more lethal in front of goal under his stewardship.
Stats courtesy of oulala.com