Louza out: 2 deals Watford can be expected to make before the EFL kick-off on August 9th | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at Portsmouth deals likely to happen before the start of the new season

Highlights

When Tom Cleverley walked through the ever-revolving door to the manager’s office in March and put pen-to-paper on an interim deal with Watford, it felt like the Hornets had finally landed a long-term head coach.

Although the side's immediate new manager bounce was to be short-lived, Cleverley steadied the ship after the departure of his predecessor, Valerin Ismael, and was rewarded with a permanent contract.

Watford’s decision to offer a 34-year-old the top job signified that the club were building with the future in mind. Cleverley became the side’s 11th manager since 2018 and will hope to see the time and the money he needs to sculpt the squad in his image.

With a core group of high-quality players at his disposal, the Hornet’s boss will want to improve on last season’s underwhelming 15th-place finish. By securing the return of fan favourite Moussa Sissoko, a mainstay of the club's 2021-22 Premier League campaign, Cleverley has worked to bolster his midfield ranks.

But more work will need to be done before the start of the season if Watford are to challenge for promotion this time out. With that in mind, Football League World has highlighted two changes to the current squad that will likely happen before the season kicks off.

In: Joe Taylor

As per Football Insider, it is believed that Watford are aiming to prize potent attacker Joe Taylor away from arch-rivals Luton Town.

The 21-year-old impressed across multiple loan spells last term. He finished as the top scorer at both Colchester United and Lincoln City despite splitting his season between the two teams.

The clinical forward has caught the eye of EFL scouts by scoring 10 goals in 19 appearances for Lincoln City. After joining the Imps in January, he quickly took up the goalscoring mantle and proved himself capable of leading the line in a team pushing for promotion.

With just a single league start for Luton to his name and a host of clubs vying for his signature, Taylor may feel that the time is right to push for a move away from Kenilworth Road if assurances about his role in the starting side have not been made.

A move to rivals Watford could prove to be mutually beneficial for both the player and his parent club.

The former Peterborough United man would have the opportunity to feature regularly in a team with promotion aims and test his ability at Championship level, while Luton would be able to take advantage of their rival's spending power - the Hornets may be willing to part ways with a greater fee compared to the lower-league teams in the hunt for the youngster's signing.

Ultimately, his arrival would provide Cleverley with a long-term forward option and a much-needed source of goals. Taylor could be a major asset for Watford if the move comes to fruition.

Watford should look to cut their losses and move Imran Louza on this summer.

Despite his international pedigree and obvious technical ability, Cleverley could come unstuck by putting his faith in such an inconsistent performer.

At 25, fresh off a successful stint at Ligue 1 outfit Lorient, where the midfielder was a standout performer despite the side's failure to beat the drop, the time is right to cash in.

Earlier this summer, Ouest France linked the talented Moroccan with a move to the continent, where potential suitors from Spain and France are believed to be waiting in the wings.

With four years left on Louza’s Watford contract, the Hornets should be able to generate a substantial fee for his sale. At present, it is not obvious whether the door has been left ajar by Cleverley for the midfielder to stake a claim for a starting spot.

Yet, as the young coach strives to bring balance and steadiness to his Watford team, it is hard to see how Louza can play a leading role.