A big January window ahead for the Hornets, who’s on the way in?
With the beginning of AFCON and the opening of the transfer window, it’s fair to say that January is going to be a very big month for Watford Football Club. With them poised just above the relegation places in 17th, and their defensive problems still on show, business has to start sooner or later otherwise the drop back to the Championship after being promoted the season before may be inevitable. However the club have wasted little time with looking for signings to get on board. Let’s have a look at some of the potential talent the Hornets are looking for.
Hassane Kamara / 27 / Left Back
The first of these players on Watford’s radar is Hassane Kamara from OGC Nice. With Adam Masina off to AFCON and Danny Rose out of favour with Claudio Ranieri, a new left back was absolutely crucial for Watford. With his 11 games played this season, Kamara this season has predominantly played his part at left back this season however as recent as November has stepped up into left midfield. An attacking full back is what Watford need, and what I feel they’ve lacked this season as they struggle with attacking overloads.
A very detailed dashboard for Kamara was produced by Twitter user @louorns, which shows how much he covers in games as well as his creativity on the pitch:
As of the 4th of January, 17:30, Kamara officially became a hornet, becoming the first arrival for Watford this January window. He joins on a 3 year deal until June 2025.
Samir / 27 / Centre Back
The second of these signings is defender Samir from Watford’s parent club Udinese, and one of the first steps to building on Watford’s defensive problem. The 27 year old Brazilian arrives having started most of Udinese’s games in Seria A this season and has mostly played in a 3 centre back partnership this season, alluding to the fact that Watford manager Claudio Ranieri could be switching to a back 3 once this window is done and dusted.
The deal may also possibly mean a Watford defender going the other way, hints of Christian Kabasele and William Troost-Ekong however nothing has been decided as of yet. Fabrizio Romano covers most of it here:
Samir’s arrival will bring much experience to that back line, however with Watford being the only team in the Premier League so far not being able to keep a clean sheet this season, it may be a tough ask on his own. With the completed signing of Kamara however, he will not be facing the challenge ahead of him isolated.
Edo Kayembe / 23 / Defensive Midfielder
With Imran Louza off to AFCON and with a heavy injury list in midfield, a defensive midfielder is on the cards to cover Watford’s absence in midfield. Edo Kayembe is one of these players, currently with Belgium first division side KAS Eupen. Edo has 17 starts in league competition this season, chipping in with 4 goals and assists, and has been compared to Watford midfielder and fan favourite Moussa Sissoko in terms of his workrate. People have mentioned his ability to carry the ball forward as well as cover a lot of ground during games. A left footed player adds an extra bonus for Watford and a fairly decent passer of the ball. Twitter user @louorns has again made a dashboard for his performances this season.
A signing which would be very versatile for the Hornets, as Kayembe is also able to play at left back, and possibly further forward in the midfield.
Domagoj Vida / 32 / Centre Back
Probably the most unexpected but the most welcome of the 4 is Domagoj Vida, currently with Beskitas in the Turkish First Division. The croatian has many accolades to his name, including 2 Ukranian League titles, 2 Ukranian cups and a Ukranian Super League title with Dynamo Kiev, 2 Croation League titles with Dinamo Zagreb and a Turkish League title and a cup with his current club.
Also a previous World Cup finalist back in 2018 and a runners up in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, Vida would add vital experience to the defence at Watford and would join up with Samir in what could be a very good centre back partnership. His defensive stats can also be seen here, once again courtesy of @louorns:
All 4 will be hopefully crucial to Ranieri’s side if they are able to avoid the drop, and with more names flying through the door, it may look like a successful window for the Hornets in their quest to stay in the Premier League.
Written by: WFCHenry
Twitter: @WFCHenry
More articles at medium.com/wfchenry
