Marc Bola

Missed 3 of Watford's ~46 games this season through 3 injury absences (inactive). He still appeared 37 times — a solid return given how little of the season he was available. His rating is judged mainly on the games he was fit to play.

Performance data · by competition

Competition	Apps	G	A	Min	Match
Championship	37	2	3	2905	6.8
League Cup	1	0	0	90	6.2
FA Cup	1	0	0	27	5.9

Career

Full career & schedule →

Following his move to Watford, Bola's current-season form is down 33% on last season (Season 52→35), while his Rating held around 49. His peak season for form remains 2024/25 (Season 52).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Watford · 16th	37	2	3	6.8	49	35
2024/25	Samsunspor · 3rd	32	1	4	7.15	48	52
2023/24	Samsunspor · 13th	20	0	0	6.74	40	10
2022/23	Middlesbrough · 4th	25	0	0	6.66	60	10
2021/22	Middlesbrough · 7th	23	1	1	6.95	64	25

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 5 earlier seasons and 5 youth-team spells in the full career.

Scout report

Solid contributorCentral midfielder

M. Bola is a 28-year-old central midfielder at Watford, rated 49.2 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 312th of 493 on scout potential in the Championship. An experienced operator, he has been a regular starter this season (75.1% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.66 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Bola.

Judged on this season alone, Bola graded 35 — a strong campaign that ranks top 25% of the 73 central midfielders in the Championship, on 2 goals, 3 assists and 2.664 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 52 → 35). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2024/25.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 49, 49th of 73 of the 73 central midfielders in the Championship. At 28 Bola is in his prime years, and a market index of 16.3 reflects that trajectory.

Read the appearance count in context: Bola missed 3 games through injury (inactive) out of roughly 46 this season. The 37 he did play is a solid return on the time he was fit, and his ratings are weighted toward those games rather than the ones he sat out injured.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2024/25 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2024/25Trending upBreakout: 2024/25Stepped up 2023/24

Current potential49th of 73 central midfielders · Championship Current seasonTop 25% central midfielders · Championship18th-best central midfielder in the Championship312th in the Championship · potential49th-highest potential central midfielder in the Championship

49.2

Ratingi

49th of 73 central midfielders

35.3

Seasoni

developing / rotation level

75.1%

Minutes

a regular starter

2.66

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Watford finished 16th of 24 · a mid-table side

2.66

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.66 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 5 clean sheets across 37 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 2 goals and 3 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 75.1% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.16 goal involvements per 90, useful for a central midfielder.

Watch points

Few red flags. No obvious weaknesses in the current-season profile — consistency is the next test.

Outlook

With a Rating of 49.2, Bola carries the 49th-highest potential of the central midfielders in the Championship of 73. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.66 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %75.1%

Available fixtures43 of 46

Goals / 900.062

Assists / 900.093

Goal contribution / 900.155

Defensive actions / 902.664

Player flow

Goal involvements5

Shot conversion %25

Shot accuracy %34.8

Pass accuracy %78

Dribble success %30.6

Cards / 900.062

Foul involvement / 901.084

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~27), then tapers with age. At 28, Bola sits on 16.3, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Bola's projected Rating — 49.2 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among central midfielders in the Championship with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals2

Shots on target8

Shots23

Passing

Assists3

Pass accuracy78%

Possession

Successful dribbles11

Dribble success30.6%

Fouls won20

Defending

Tackles32

Interceptions46

Blocks8

Fouls committed15

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

Watford2025/26 – nowFree Transfer

Samsunspor2023/24 – 2025/26

Middlesbrough(back from loan)2020/21 – 2023/24

Blackpool(on loan)2019/20 – 2020/21

Middlesbroughuntil 2019/20

Blackpool2018/19 – 2019/20Free

Bristol Rovers(on loan)2017/18 – 2018/19

Arsenal(back from loan)2017/18 – 2017/18

Notts County(on loan)2016/17 – 2017/18

Arsenaluntil 2016/17

About M. Bola

Marc Joel Bola is a 28-year-old central midfielder who plays for Watford, born on December 9, 1997 in London, standing 185 cm tall. He is from England. Watford currently sit 16th of 24 in the Championship.

This season

In the current season, M. Bola has made 37 appearances with 2 goals and 3 assists across 2,905 minutes, averaging a 6.83 match rating over his last 9 rated games, with 2 yellow cards. His season has spanned the Championship, the League Cup and the FA Cup.

When M. Bola plays, Watford's record this season is 12W-12D-15L — and his match ratings average 6.94 at home against 6.56 on the road.

Recent matches

May 2, 2026: 0-4 loss at home vs Coventry (28 minutes, 6.7 rating)
April 25, 2026: 1-5 loss away at Middlesbrough (82 minutes, 6.3 rating)
April 18, 2026: 0-2 loss at home vs Sheffield Utd (19 minutes, 6.6 rating)
March 21, 2026: 0-0 draw at home vs Leicester (90 minutes, 6.9 rating)
March 17, 2026: 3-1 win at home vs Wrexham (90 minutes, 1 goal, 7.9 rating)
March 14, 2026: 1-3 loss away at Stoke City (90 minutes, 6.2 rating)
March 10, 2026: 1-1 draw away at Sheffield Wednesday (67 minutes, 7.3 rating)
February 27, 2026: 2-1 win away at Bristol City (1 minutes)
February 24, 2026: 0-2 loss at home vs Ipswich (90 minutes, 6.3 rating)
February 21, 2026: 2-0 win at home vs Derby (12 minutes, 1 assist, 7.3 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. Bola at 49.2 with a Season form score of 35.3, ranking 312th of 493 central midfielders in the Championship. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Availability: M. Bola has missed 3 matches this season through injury.

Career

Across 12 recorded seasons, M. Bola has totalled 232 club appearances with 5 goals and 11 assists for 9 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2020/21, with 41 appearances for Middlesbrough.

M. Bola's career has also included time at Samsunspor, Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Bristol Rovers, Arsenal and Notts County.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Injury-affected season

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Watford finished 16th of 24 · a mid-table side

Strengths

Watch points