Transfer Rumours Transfer Rumours .....Here we go again.....

I think that is down to a bit of poor form and the coaching. I suspect that he may thrive in a more, erm, tactically ambitious set up than QSF, JG or IV have played... he was improving under NP but has slipped again.

 

And a few injuries.

Quina might be the answer if he can bulk up a bit.

 

...and stay on his feet.

 

It was reported somewhere on 17 December that Quina would not be available for the next two months because of his injury.

 

And he is not a DM, he is an attacking midfielder in a similar mould but not the same skill set as Forestieri was. So he is not the answer to Capoue

 

This is from the Athletic - sorry its rather long!

Basically says we'll try to get players in but keep most unless a silly offer comes in for Sarr as an example.

Filippo Giraldi has left his role as Watford’s technical director, meaning this January transfer window will be the first for eight years that takes place without his input.

At the end of last season, The Athletic confirmed his position was to be reviewed but, only now has it finally become clear that he will not be working in any capacity — in recruitment or otherwise — for Watford or the Pozzo family sister club Udinese. He has been at Watford since 2012 and was promoted from chief scout in 2016.

Giraldi has been in Italy since the beginning of November — the last game that he went to was the win over Stoke City — before it was decided that he would initially be stepping away. He is now in discussions with other clubs.

There had been a suggestion when Watford appointed Cristiano Giaretta as sporting director in August that he and Giraldi would work alongside each other, with the latter continuing in a technical director role concentrating more on scouting.

However, Giaretta now takes charge of recruitment alongside owner Gino Pozzo, with negotiating advice from Scott Duxbury, the club’s chairman and chief executive.

In addition, Giaretta oversees the management of the technical staff and the players on a day-to-day basis.

The scouting and recruitment team will, therefore, feed information on potential targets to Giaretta, in addition to the regular contacts both he and Pozzo have with trusted agents.

Key figures within Watford’s scouting structure include Rafa Monfort and Leonardo Gabbanini, who manage teams of scouts in South America and Europe/UK respectively, while deeper data information is also provided by Miguel Rios as head of analysis and talent identification.

The last word on any move will always come from Pozzo. The tough negotiator will be ready for a window of opportunity to improve Watford’s chances of getting back into the Premier League at the first attempt.

Keeping the club’s most talented players will be the main priority in the upcoming transfer window but last season’s relegation and the impact of COVID-19 mean offers will be considered if they reach the club’s valuation.

Ismaila Sarr is the most highly valued by Watford and sought after by other clubs. Manchester United, Liverpool and Crystal Palace all made offers for the Senegal winger in the summer but approaches were resisted as they didn’t meet Watford’s £40-50 million valuation. Loan offers were not entertained and varied structures of initial down payments played their part in deals breaking down.

There is quiet confidence they will be able to fend off attempts once again, but it’s expected that clubs will test the waters.

Sarr has been directly involved in six Watford goals this season (four goals and two assists), including scoring winners against Stoke City, Coventry City and leaders Norwich City. The club know that keeping him will help their chances of promotion. One of the key briefs of new head coach Xisco Munoz was to breathe new life into the 22-year-old, with the hope he will be more inclined to stick rather than twist in January.

If Sarr does go, the club will be able to invest some of the money in a replacement on the right wing, but even if he stays, the club may look at alternative options on both flanks if 4-4-2 is going to be Munoz’s trusted formation.

Guarding against Sarr and fellow winger Ken Sema being overworked will be important. It may be that Domingos Quina, Joao Pedro and Isaac Success — when they return from injury — may provide adequate cover but options are likely to be explored.

Wingers Nacho Pussetto and Gerard Deulofeu are still on Watford’s books but look unlikely to play for the club again. They are on loan at Udinese and Pussetto struggled to adapt to English football, whereas Deulofeu wishes to leave permanently at the end of the season

With Etienne Capoue set to depart to Villarreal, Watford are in the hunt for a player of a similar profile in central midfield too. Removing a top earner from the wage bill is welcome but it means Watford have lost a senior player from their side. It’s understood his impending departure, which was expected in the summer, has not come as much of a surprise to the dressing room.

The switch of head coach from Vladimir Ivic — whose compensation has been settled amicably — to Munoz also affects the situation.

The Spaniard and his staff will be given an opportunity to assess the squad and make suggestions as to areas they would like to strengthen. The club will hope that Munoz’s motivational tactics will be able to stimulate the group and options can be found internally rather than there being the need for significant investment.

It’s expected minor alterations rather than a redesign will take place. It’s known that Pozzo expects coaches to improve players, not simply ask for more. If he can effectively fill the gap left by Capoue with a combination of Nathaniel Chalobah, Will Hughes, Tom Cleverley, James Garner, Dan Phillips and Quina, with the outside chance of Tom Dele-Bashiru being an option before the end of the season, then all the better. Ben Wilmot, whom the club are keen to secure to a longer-term contract (he has 18 months remaining with the option of a further year), is also capable of playing as a holding midfielder if need be.

Ivic had wanted a left-back to cover the injury absence of Adam Masina and departure of Pervis Estupinan but didn’t get one, making do with a combination of Sema, Kiko Femenia and Jeremy Ngakia (and, sparingly, Marc Navarro and Toby Stevenson) to cover both flanks in varied formations.

Even though Masina has now returned, it’s likely the position will be given consideration once more, as further injuries could leave them short. Femenia’s future at the club is not a cast-iron certainty either. Options were presented to him in Spain, Russia and the Premier League in the summer and, as with Sarr, potential moves are likely to surface again.

With central defenders plentiful — albeit a little stretched considering Craig Cathcart, William Troost-Ekong and Christian Kabasele’s struggles with injuries — the position is unlikely to be strengthened, with Francisco Sierralta proving he was able to provide adequate back-up with a strong performance against Norwich.

The same applies in goal with Ben Foster. Daniel Bachmann and Adam Parkes provide adequate cover, with Pontus Dahlberg remaining on loan in Sweden.

At the other end of the pitch, something will have to give if the strikers are added to. With Troy Deeney, Andre Gray, Stipe Perica and Joao Pedro all options, it’s likely that Glenn Murray will look for minutes elsewhere, unless Munoz takes an immediate shine to him. Murray — who is on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion — hasn’t featured since Wycombe Wanderers away in October.

Deeney received interest in the summer but nothing came to fruition. One of the stumbling blocks to a move to West Bromwich Albion was former manager Slaven Bilic favouring other targets. However, with Sam Allardyce now in charge, that has the potential to change. It appears Deeney, who has already struck up a strong bond with Munoz, is more inclined to stay, with 20 goals and promotion a clear target.

If that’s achieved, it’s hoped that Cucho Hernandez will then return from his season-long loan at Getafe (there is no January recall option) and be part of the squad. If Watford had been in the Premier League, he, Luis Suarez (who joined Granada) and Estupinan (now at Villarreal) would probably still have been part of the team rather than in Spain.

Another case of what might have been is that the Championship’s top scorer Ivan Toney (16 goals and four assists) was considered by Watford in the summer — and is understood to have been keen on a move to Vicarage Road — but instead, Brentford snapped him up from Peterborough United in a deal worth up to £10 million. The striker shares an agent with Deeney, so the lines of communication were open, but with other players futures unclear at the time, it wasn’t acted upon.

Sitting in the unproven category is teenage Guinean striker Djibril Toure, who will officially become a Watford player on January 1. The 18-year old is set to go on loan for the second half of the season at least.

Two other strikers, Joseph Hungbo and Kane Crichlow, have also made bench appearances of late and are available if the squad needs to be rotated for whatever reason.

If big offers come in for big players, the dynamic of Watford’s January transfer window will be severely affected. If not, keeping calm and carrying on in the pursuit of promotion with a new feel-good atmosphere will be the target.

It may be a time to tinker, but not overhaul.

 

Signing a winger from Norway ?

https://www.bt.dk/fodbold/bt-afsloerer-ombejlet-dansker-skifter-til-england

 

Costa on a free anyone?

 

http://sportwitness.co.uk/player-on-the-verge-of-joining-watford-decision-to-change-agents-paid-off/
Def good form......

 

Yes - unlike that Papa guy in the summer moving agents might work for us .

 

Capoue gone

https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-capoue-completes-spain-switch

 

Oh well..... wish him well

 

How did he manage it outside of the transfer window?

 

Be signing officially from 1st January I guess.

Sounds like the Danish winger had all but signed but won’t be available till after Swansea game .

 

So in other words he hasn't actually completed the transfer - the transfer window in Spain doesn't open until 4th January?

It's all too confusing...

 

I guess he won’t be playing till after then .

 

It looks like the Zinckernagel transfer had been on the cards for a while.

 

Better hope we get promoted them!