Football League World
·7 August 2022
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·7 August 2022
Rob Edwards has confirmed that Mario Gaspar will be available for selection for Watford on Monday night.
The Spaniard arrived at Vicarage Road from Villarreal following the departure of Kiko Femenia going the other way in a separate deal.
But there was some hold up in the confirmation of his move that kept him out of the team that won against Sheffield United in the opening game of the new Championship season as the club had to wait on the clearance of his visa before being able to register his move with the EFL.
But that process has now been finalised, with the new Watford manager confirming that the 31-year old is set to make his debut against West Brom on August 8.
It was also revealed that the side has no new injury concerns going into the clash against Steve Bruce’s side, but Imran Louza remains absent through injury.
“Mario Gaspar will be available so that’s good for us,” said Edwards, via the Watford Observer.
“His visa clearance is good and he is ready to go. Everyone came through the Sheffield United game unscathed. We’ve still got long-term injuries like Imran Louza who has been missing for a while but other than that, there’s not many changes from what was available last week.”
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Watford will be aiming to be on the second side in the division to earn two wins from two, alongside Blackburn Rovers.
Edwards also praised the team’s upcoming opponents, but believes that his side has all the tools they need to get all three points away from home.
The Verdict
Having Gaspar available for selection will be very important as he should stake a claim as the starting right back in the current squad.
He will bring quality and experience to the side that Hassane Kamara is less comfortable with due to being a more natural left-sided defender.
A win for Watford on Monday will set the tone for the season ahead as they would join Blackburn at the top of the table. That would also be a second win over potential promotion challengers, which could prove quite important come the end of the season.