Watford FC should push to sign Sam Tickle and Tyler Bindon as soon as this week | OneFootball

The Hornets should be looking at two top League One talents to bolster their squad

Watford FC have enjoyed a positive first half of the Championship season, although there has been inconsistencies creeping in during the last few weeks.

Many had tipped Tom Cleverley’s side to struggle this term, but they instead find themselves in the mix for a play-off place.

The Hornets will be eyeing promotion back to the Premier League, having not competed in the top flight since 2022, and they currently sit ninth in the second tier standings.

The January transfer window offers the club an opportunity to improve their chances of a top six finish, with Cleverley able to bring in players to strengthen his side.

Watford have until 3rd February to get any deals over the line, giving them plenty of time to identify and negotiate with targets.

Ex-Man United midfielder Cleverley has made it clear that he would like to see quality players join the club this month, with the team at risk of falling behind rivals if they don’t sign someone.

However, here we look at two players they should be looking to push and sign as soon as next week.

Sam Tickle

Watford will need to target the arrival of a new goalkeeper at some point in the near future given the lack of viable competition that Daniel Bachmann faces at the moment - not to mention the Austrian suffered an injury against Sheffield United.

Sam Tickle is a promising young talent and has even been capped for England at the U21 level despite competing in League One.

The 22-year-old is talented enough to make the jump up to the Championship and could offer Bachmann the kind of competition for minutes that Cleverley would surely like to see.

Bringing in someone like Tickle would be an investment in the future, which would also fit with recent signings like Rocco Vata and Kayky Almeida.

While Tickle is older than those two and would likely be more expensive, a goalkeeper is still very early in his career at 22 and he is someone with the potential to compete in the Premier League someday.

It remains to be seen what kind of money Watford would be willing to spend this January, but if they are willing to put funds into the team right now then they could do a lot worse than improving in this area with a young talent like Tickle.

He's not likely to come cheap, however, as his prior Premier League links show how highly rated he is.

Tyler Bindon

The ongoing situation at Reading means the Berkshire outfit are a club that Championship sides might look to exploit to find a good deal this January.

The Royals' precarious financial position means they may need to sell someone to keep the club afloat, and Tyler Bindon is one potential candidate.

Watford should be in the mix to sign Bindon, as the extra defensive cover is what they need to improve for the second half of the campaign, and his contract situation means that the New Zealand international could be available for a fee much less than what he's actually worth talent-wise.

The 19-year-old has also excelled in League One since breaking into the Royals’ first-team squad and could be ready for Championship football.

While they are likely to face stiff competition to his signature, Watford’s promising start to the campaign will be a positive sign that someone like Bindon could be attracted to.

Their push for younger talent recently also highlights a new willingness to give these players a chance in the side at this level and the defender fits that profile perfectly.