Watford push to sign player Middlesbrough once signed for £6m | OneFootball

Middlesbrough's former £6 million signing Martin Payero is one of three players Watford are looking to bring in from sister club Udinese.

After a quiet start to the summer, it seems transfer activity is starting to gather pace at Watford.

It was a disappointing campaign for Watford last season as they finished 16th in the Championship, and it was another year of managerial instability, with Paulo Pezzolano, Javi Gracia and Ed Still all taking charge of the team.

After parting company with Still after less than three months at the helm, the Hornets appointed former Sassuolo, Palermo and Empoli boss Alessio Dionisi as their new head coach last month, with the Italian signing a two-year contract at Vicarage Road.

As Dionisi looks to stamp his mark on the squad, Watford completed their first signing of the summer this week as defender Omar Traore joined from sister club Udinese, and the club are also closing in on a £6.8 million deal for Bologna goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia.

With Ravaglia set to arrive imminently, it appears the Hornets are also lining up further transfer moves, and a player once signed for big money by Middlesbrough is thought to be one of those on their radar.

Watford plotting move for former Middlesbrough midfielder Martin Payero

Action Images

Watford have already done one deal with Udinese, the Italian club also owned by Gino Pozzo, this summer, but it seems more players could be set to follow Traore in making the switch from the Bluenergy Stadium to Vicarage Road.

According to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, the Hornets are working on a deal to sign midfielder Martin Payero, who has previously had a spell in the Championship with Middlesbrough.

Payero joined Boro from Argentinian side Banfield in the summer of 2021 for a fee of around £6 million, but he endured a frustrating debut season at the Riverside Stadium, scoring just one goal and providing one assist in 15 appearances.

Having failed to establish himself at the Riverside Stadium, Payero returned to his native Argentina the following summer with Boca Juniors, helping them win the league title during a loan spell in the 2022-23 season before making a permanent move to Udinese.

Payero scored three goals and registered two assists in 56 games during his first two years at Udinese, but he spent last season on loan at fellow Italian side Cremonese, netting once in 25 appearances as they were relegated from Serie A.

It appears that Payero could now be heading back to England with Watford, and the Hornets are also discussing potential deals for two further Udinese players, .

Martin Payero deal would be a gamble for Watford after Middlesbrough struggles

Action Images

Payero's move to Middlesbrough generated plenty of excitement at the Riverside Stadium, but he failed to live up to his hefty price tag, with Neil Warnock, Chris Wilder and Michael Carrick all deeming him surplus to requirements during their respective tenures.

It is fair to say that Payero has rebuilt his reputation in Italy since leaving Boro, featuring regularly in Serie A over the past three years, but having struggled in the Championship previously, there are question marks over whether he would be able to succeed this time around.

However, with a number of deals in the pipeline, it could be a busy few weeks ahead for Watford, and Pozzo seems willing to provide Dionisi with strong backing in the transfer market after facing accusations of a lack of investment in recent times.