No 'imminent' new signings expected at Watford

The main message I’ve received in conversations with the club and others is ‘nothing is imminent’ and that is probably underlined by the fact that new manager Rob Edwards is currently having a family holiday.

Although the message is that the Hornets intend to have two or three new faces in the London Colney changing rooms when pre-season training starts on June 20, it seems that any arrivals will be nearer that date than today.

I’m told that the club are waiting for the start of a domino effect – in other words, players will move from other clubs, or leave Vicarage Road, and that will then start a chain of transfers.

Targets have been identified and work has gone on behind the scenes, but the view from Watford is that they can get the players they want without playing their hand too early and paying over the odds.

There also needs to be the realisation that with relegation comes a significant drop in revenue, and so the club will be looking to move players on in order to raise transfer funds and free up space in their wage budget.

In terms of those being linked with a move away from Vicarage Road, it’s still thought that the most likely player to depart first is striker Emmanuel Dennis. There has been no further development but it is the most advanced of the potential deals.

Sky News have reported what we said last week – the Hornets are also resigned to the fact that Ismaila Sarr will leave, but they are not going to listen to offers that are short of what they feel is acceptable.

The club want to recoup at least the £28million they paid, although they may have to settle for a deal which sees the bulk of that sort of sum paid up front, with further payments based upon various clauses.

Kiko Femenia has been the subject of much speculation about a move back to his Spanish homeland, with clubs such as Elche, Huesca, Real Valladolid and Villareal all seemingly interested. The player is known to be keen to get back to Spain, but Watford have told me they have had no approach whatsoever.

They are equally adamant when it comes to brushing off stories linking striker Cucho Hernandez with a move to La Liga. The description given to me was ‘classic summer rumour mongering’.

Defender Samir may be heading back where he came from, with reports suggesting he will rejoin Udinese. The 27-year-old Brazilian only signed for Watford in January on a three-and-a-half year contract from the Italian side – although the club where he started his career, Flamengo, are also said to be keen on him.

Despite having a release clause in his contract related to relegation, and his recent social media post which strongly hinted that he planned to activate it, Moussa Sissoko is still under contract to the Hornets, who have not been involved in any discussions as yet. However, there are known to be a number of clubs in France who may start one soon.

The situation is the same with Danny Rose, who is still a Watford player despite not having featured in the first team since the home defeat to Manchester City in December. It’s pretty clear his future lies elsewhere, but I’m led to believe it may require an agreement to settle his contract before that happens.

Having recently been called up to the senior Turkish national squad for the first time, 19-year-old striker Tiago Cukur has been linked with a move to Besiktas. Having joined Watford from AZ Alkmaar in summer 2020, Cukur has been a regular in the club’s Under-23 team and was an unused substitute for the 0-0 Premier League draw with Everton last month. The club insist they have had no contact with anyone about the player, but clearly a move back to his homeland could appeal.

One player who may well be added to the first-team squad next season is 18-year-old striker Colombian striker Yaser Asprilla. The youngster was signed from Envigado but stayed with the club and scored five times in 16 appearances last season, as well as earning his first senior cap for Colombia in January as a sub against Honduras.