Watford sporting director provides update on centre-back search | OneFootball

Watford sporting director Luke Dowling says the club are targeting two new centre-backs before the Championship season begins, with hopes at least one will arrive within the next 10 days.

The Hornets are continuing to strengthen their squad ahead of the new campaign and Dowling has identified central defence as the priority area to address before their opening league fixture against Southampton.

“We are addressing it and hopefully we’ll see one or two in that particular position very soon,” Dowling told BBC Sport.

“We’re probably looking to get two in there, to add to the ones we’ve got and the younger ones we’ve got, then hopefully we’ll be happy.”

Dowling is hopeful Watford can complete at least one signing before the Championship opener, and stressed the importance of avoiding a late panic in the transfer window.

“I’d like us to have a couple in (before Southampton). Any more than that would be great but we’ve then got to let the coach focus on what we’ve got,” he said.

“But in the next 10 days if we can get one or two in then that’d be great.

“We don’t want to get to the end of the month for the centre-back position.

“We’ve currently got two experienced centre-halves and we can’t wait until the last week to get another two.

“We need to get one in as soon as we possibly can.”