Deeney’s too rich for Rafa at £20m

TROY DEENEY returns from another stint in the sin bin today with Watford insisting their captain is not for sale this month.

Newcastle have sounded out the Hornets about Deeney’s availability.

But they were shocked by the £20million asking price for a 29-year-old with only two goals this season, and the player’s £65,000-aweek wages.

Watford head coach Marco Silva is front-runner to take Leicester’s record signing Islam Slimani on loan because the pair worked together at Sporting Lisbon.

Newcastle are also chasing Slimani, and thought Deeney would be surplus to requirements if the Algerian striker landed at Vicarage Road.

But Silva insists none of his players are for sale.

He wants all hands on deck to reverse a frightening slump of just 10 points from a possible 42 in the Premier League.

Today he must also try to avert the embarrassment of being knocked out of both cup competitions by Bristol City in the same season after the Robins’ 3-2 away win in the League

Cup last August.

Silva said: “There have been no offers for Troy and the feedback I have from the club is that we want to keep all our players.

“Of course he is an important player for us and the only thing new is that he is finally available to us after missing seven of the last 10 games.”

Deeney has served a four-match ban after being sent off against Huddersfield last month – a decision and suspension Silva felt was unduly harsh.

The Hornets boss added: “It’s been really hard for him, but now is the moment for him to forget what happened.”