Watford have hired Rob Edwards as their new head coach with the job of sealing the club’s promotion to the Premier League, so what former Hornets players should he now re-sign?
The Vicarage Road outfit dropped back down to the Championship this term after finishing the top-flight campaign in 19th-place. Only basement boys Norwich City, who had won the 2020/21 second-tier title to Watford, ended this season with fewer points than the Hornets.
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Relegation marked the second time in the last three seasons that the Hertfordshire natives fell out of the Premier League. Now, Watford will strive to secure their second instant top-flight return when the new Championship season commences on the weekend of July 30.
Edwards is unlikely to enjoy largely the same squad that Roy Hodgson managed during his ill-fated spell at Vicarage Road. Instead, the former Forest Green Rovers boss shall need to stamp his mark on the Watford ranks if he is to see the Hornets bounce straight back up.
Vladimir Ivic oversaw the arrivals of six players during the summer 2020 window, while 20 also departed the club in permanent or loan deals. Edwards could need a similar influx of fresh faces this year, so here are five former Watford players who they could now re-sign…
Watford should re-sign Matej Vydra to dent Burnley promotion bid
Watford fell out of the Premier League this season having recorded the joint second-worst offensive record with just 34 goals. Only Norwich with 23 goals failed to hit the back of the net more often, while fellow Championship-bound club Burnley matched the Hornets’ 34.
Now, Edwards could put a dent in Burnley’s promotion bid by raiding Turf Moor to re-sign former Watford striker Matej Vydra. The Czech Republic international joined the Clarets in the summer of 2018 from Derby County for £11m, but he is out of contract from June 30.
Talks are scheduled over a new deal, per Lancs Live, as Vydra is out until at least November after suffering a cruciate ligament injury against Watford in April. But he hit 21 goals in his last second-tier season with the Rams in 2017/18 that could be of interest to the Hornets.
Britt Assombalonga could aid Edwards with Watford return for former player
Britt Assombalonga could also aid Edwards’ efforts to create a more goal-happy offence in Hertfordshire next term if Watford were to now re-sign their former player. The DR Congo forward spent this season in Turkey and was somewhat prolific despite his limited chances.
Adana Demirspor signed Assombalonga last year after Middlesbrough released their £15m club-record signing. The 29-year-old would make 40 appearances for the Super Lig outfit in all competitions, as well. Yet he only started 17 games, but still managed to score 12 goals.
Only in his final year with Boro did Assombalonga additionally fail to hit double figures for Championship goals. A vastly different story from the Watford academy graduates’ record with the Vicarage Road side, having failed to score over his mere four senior appearances.
Nathaniel Chalobah could win back-to-back Championships with Watford return
Nathaniel Chalobah could become a back-to-back Championship title-winner by returning to Watford this summer. The midfielder left Vicarage Road for Fulham ahead of last season in a permanent deal, four years after the midfielder left west London and Chelsea for £5m.
Yet while the Cottages swept the second-tier title, Chalobah only held a limited role under Marco Silva. The 27-year-old started only 11 games over his 20 appearances, while sitting out 12 of the Craven Cottage natives’ fixtures through injuries in September to December.
Now, with Fulham back in the Premier League, Chalobah could struggle to force a way into Silva’s side. So, the former Watford player could be an option for Edwards to re-sign for his promotion bid. The midfielder started 32 of 38 second-tier outings for Watford in 2020/21.
Roberto Pereyra could make England return after Udinese struggles
Watford sold Roberto Pereyra to Udinese following their last relegation from the Premier League in 2019/20. The Argentine had spent the previous four campaigns at Vicarage Road after joining the Hornets from Juventus for £13m, which was a club-record fee at the time.
Pereyra enjoyed 115 appearances for Watford across all competitions during his time with the Hornets. He also scored 18 goals and provided 12 assists, but he struggled to provide a consistent output for the Bianconeri this season with five goals and six assists in 25 games.
The 31-year-old also only started 23 of his appearances, having suffered a spate of injuries throughout the campaign. Now, his presence at the Dacia Arena could come into question, and Edwards should be alert to any possibility of Watford re-signing a former star player.
Watford could re-sign former player Dodi Lukebakio after Wolfsburg struggles
Watford could sense an opportunity to re-sign former player Dodi Lukebakio this summer as the Belgian struggled during a season-long loan transfer to Wolfsburg from parent side Hertha Berlin this term, leaving the German capital two years after leaving Vicarage Road.
The Hornets sold Lukebakio to Hertha for £20m in August 2019, despite him only making one appearance for 15 minutes. His first two seasons in Berlin then showed promise with 16 goals and 13 assists. Yet the four-cap ace scored just once and created three this term.
Additionally, Lukebakio only started nine of his 25 appearances for Wolfsburg across all competitions, with seven in the Bundesliga. Now, he will return to Hertha with two years left on his contract and a decreasing market value that Edwards could possibly appreciate.
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