Hot prospect Henrique Araújo has set his sights on firing Watford back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, following his recent loan arrival from Portuguese giants Benfica on a deal until the end of the current campaign.
The 21-year-old forward has already raised eyebrows in his homeland and on the continent after bursting onto the scene for the Eagles in recent months, notching three goals in his first five senior league outings, netting a hat-trick in last season’s UEFA Youth League final, and firing in a late strike on his Champions League group-stage debut in November.
Having been restricted to five Primeira Liga appearances in 2022/23, Araújo jumped at the opportunity to further his development with the Hornets, and he has already made it clear what he wants to achieve between now and May.
“I’m really happy to be here, and excited to get started,” Araújo said. “I’m hoping to get the chance to play lots of minutes while I am here, score lots of goals and help Watford get back into the Premier League.
“I know returning to the Premier League is the club’s objective, and it’s mine as well. The Championship is a highly competitive league, and I’m excited to experience a new division and test myself.
“I’d say my biggest quality is my intelligence on the pitch. I like to attack spaces the defenders leave behind, and of course as a striker my main aim is to score goals. I bring some big experiences with me - like scoring in the Champions League - and I hope that can help the whole team be successful on the pitch.”
Though displaying high levels of ambition and maturity by removing himself from his comfort zone to explore a new challenge in England - all the more impressive considering his tender age - Araújo’s latest adventure isn’t the first time he’s stepped into the unknown in order to reach his own high standards.
Aged just 16, the Portugal Under-21 international took the plunge and left his native Madeira to sign terms with Benfica, and he is hoping for a similar rate of success in Hertfordshire to the one that saw him rapidly rise through the age groups, and into the B-team and senior ranks in Lisbon.
He said: “I left home for Benfica, and in four-and-a-half years there I gradually went from Under-17s, to Under-19s, Under-23s, the B-team and then the senior squad. It was a fantastic choice for me to go there - it’s a huge club and I’ve really enjoyed it.
“I want to keep progressing, and ultimately follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo. He is from Madeira like me, and he’s done amazing things in Portugal, here in England, in Spain and in Italy, so I’ll just keep working to try and enjoy some of the success he’s had.”
Compatriot João Ferreira - who similarly linked up with Watford this month - represents one familiar face within the Hornets squad for Araújo, with the duo having played together over 20 times in Benfica red, while the latter is enjoying getting to know all of his new teammates at the London Colney training ground.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Rotherham United provided Araújo with the opportunity to experience the Vicarage Road atmosphere for the first time, and he is itching to get out on the pitch and show the supporters what he can do as soon as possible.
He added: “I talked to him [Ferreira] before I came to the club, and he only said good things which helped me make my decision. There are other Portuguese speakers in the squad - like Matheus Martins and João Pedro - which is nice, but I’m trying to speak to everyone in the team and improve my English!
“I saw the last game at Vicarage Road, and I loved the atmosphere. When we scored the goal the crowd was bouncing, and I can’t wait to be out there and to experience it playing.”
