Watford eye Nottingham Forest and QPR stars as September 1st looms | OneFootball

Watford are weighing up moves for seven new centre-backs, and want at least two through the doors before the deadline

Watford have enjoyed a solid start to life under Italian head coach Alessio Dionisi, but with one week of the summer window remaining, the Hornets are looking to bolster their defensive options and have identified seven potential targets to pursue.

According to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, Watford have a seven-man centre-back shortlist lined up, and are looking to add at least two of those before the window slams shut at the beginning of September.

Watford remain unbeaten under new boss Dionisi, knocking Crawley Town out of the League Cup before defeating Southampton on the opening match week of the Championship and following that up with a 1-1 draw away to Wrexham.

However, in all three of those fixtures, Mattie Pollock lined up alongside Keven Keben in the heart of defence, as with each of Saba Goglichidze, James Abankwah, Stephen Mfuni, and Formose Mendy having left the club this summer, they have been left short in that area, but now look to add a couple of these names before the deadline.

Mason Holgate

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Mason Holgate, similarly to John Stones, came through the youth system at Barnsley before joining Everton as a youngster, making 150 appearances for the Toffees.

The 29-year-old has enjoyed brief spells with the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Southampton, and Sheffield United previously, and has been playing his football in Qatar since 2025, contracted to Al-Gharafa, but could be set for a return to England in the coming week or so with Watford lurking.

Stephen Mfuni

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Stephen Mfuni has been a regular in Manchester City’s youth setup for numerous years, but has managed just one senior appearance for the Citizens, and spent the second half of last season actually on loan at Vicarage Road with Watford, making eight Championship appearances for the club.

The 18-year-old looked set to join Coventry City on loan recently, but that move fell through for unconfirmed reasons, as Watford are interested in bringing him back to Hertfordshire, but will face competition from Championship rivals Derby County.

Tyler Bindon

New Zealand international Tyler Bindon made a name for himself down the road in Berkshire for Reading, impressing for the Royals under Ruben Selles in League One, as the pair would link back up at Sheffield United last summer, with Bindon arriving on loan from Nottingham Forest.

Selles’ dismissal and the Blades’ subsequent appointment of Chris Wilder meant the 21-year-old was limited to just 25 Championship appearances last season, but impressed whenever on the field.

Now, with his game time with Forest remaining uncertain, it’s likely he heads out on loan this summer once again, with Watford identifying him as a potential option.

Zach Abbott

It’s not only Bindon that Watford are targeting from Forest, but with 20-year-old Zach Abbott also in their crosshairs.

Abbott has made just 13 first-team appearances for Forest to date, with seven in the Europa League last season, having come through the club's youth system and representing England at youth level on numerous occasions.

Abbott needs regular minutes to assist his development, and Watford could be willing to offer him just that.

Jake Clarke-Salter

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Queens Park Rangers centre-back Jake Clarke-Salter has consistently struggled with injuries throughout his career, and had it not been for frequent visits to the treatment room, the 28-year-old would have surely amassed more than his 145 Championship appearances throughout his career to date.

With QPR boasting the likes of Ronnie Edwards, Jimmy Dunne, and Liam Morrison at the back, an exit before the deadline could be on the cards for the former Chelsea youth player, with Watford weighing up a move.

Mark McGuinness

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Sheffield United boss Wilder dropped a bombshell in pre-season by stating that Mark McGuinness, alongside Nils Zatterstrom, had no future at the club, putting the Irish international in the shop window.

The 25-year-old came through the youth system at Arsenal, and has previously spent time with the likes of Ipswich Town, Cardiff City, Sheffield Wednesday, and Luton Town prior to joining the Blades last summer, but could be set for a swift exit from South Yorkshire imminently.

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Former French youth international Soumaila Coulibaly has the pedigree of having played in the youth ranks of both Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund, before continuing his professional career with the likes of Royal Antwerp, Strasbourg, and Brest.

It would appear that Coulibaly is not a part of immediate plans at the BlueCo-owned outfit, and could be set for another move away from the club this summer, as Watford consider offering him the opportunity to play in England.