[themaclad]

Watford striker Cucho Hernandez has signed for US Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew for a club record fee.

The 23-year-old Colombian, who joined the Hornets five years ago, has agreed a contract until 2025.

He played 25 Premier League games last season, scoring five goals, as Watford were relegated to the Championship.

Watford head of recruitment Cristiano Giaretta said new head coach Rob Edwards wanted more homegrown players to "ensure togetherness".

"In the EFL, you can name no more than 11 non-homegrown players on your matchday team sheet, so this is an important part of our thinking when it comes to player trading during this summer window," said Giaretta.

"Rob was clear he wanted a different type of player who will occupy this non-homegrown place in the forward line."

Hernandez spent the first four years of his time with Watford on loan in Spain but made a goalscoring Premier League debut last August as they beat Aston Villa 3-2.

The exact amount paid by Columbus, who are currently 11th in the MLS Eastern Conference, has not been disclosed.

"Despite being just 23 years of age, he has shown a nose for goal against top level European opposition, and we firmly believe that he will flourish in our league," said head coach Caleb Porter.

"This investment is a testament to the belief our ownership group has in this club and our commitment to championship ambitions year in and year out.

"We believe he can be that consistent goal scorer we've been looking for

[themaclad]

Striker Joshua King and goalkeeper Rob Elliot have left Watford after their relegation from the Premier League.

Norway international King, 31, scored five goals in 33 appearances last season after arriving from Everton.

They included a hat-trick against his former club, when the Hornets won 5-2 at Goodison Park last October.

Elliot, 36, joined Watford from Newcastle but made his only appearance for the club in a Carabao Cup defeat by Championship club Stoke City.

"In the case of Rob, he indicated he would wish to consider retirement but the decision is his now, of course," said sporting director Cristiano Giaretta.

[themaclad]

Watford midfielder Moussa Sissoko has moved to French club Nantes for an undisclosed fee.

The 32-year-old made 38 appearances for the Hornets, scoring twice, after joining them from Tottenham Hotspur for around £3m last summer.

Sissoko, who first came to England with Newcastle in 2013, has won 71 international caps for France.

He has agreed a two-year deal with Nantes, who finished ninth in Ligue 1 in 2021-22.

Watford released five first team players, including goalkeeper Ben Foster and striker Andre Gray, following relegation to the Premier League, and Joshua King and Rob Elliot have since left the club, while Cucho Hernandez was sold to US MLS side Columbus Crew.

[themaclad]

Watford have signed Ivory Coast striker Vakoun Bayo on a five-year deal from Belgian side RSC Charleroi.

The 25-year-old joined Charleroi from Gent in January in an initial loan move only made permanent in May and scored 11 goals in 16 games.

He began his career in Tunisia in 2015 before moving to play in Slovakia.

He moved to Celtic in 2018 but only made two starts and 15 substitute appearances for the Scottish Premiership side, scoring four goals.

A move to Toulouse followed before arriving in Belgium at the start of last season, playing for Gent and then Charleroi.

Rob Edwards' Watford begin their Championship campaign at home to Sheffield United on 1 August.

[themaclad]

Championship side Watford have signed Albania striker Rey Manaj from Barcelona on a three-year contract.

The 25-year-old former Inter Milan forward spent last season on loan in Serie A with Spezia, where he scored five goals in 19 games.

He spent 18 months with Barca after joining from Spanish second division side Albacete but failed to make a first-team appearance at the Nou Camp.

Manaj moves to the Hornets for an undisclosed fee.

[themaclad]

Watford left-back Adam Masina has moved to Italian club Udinese for an undisclosed fee.

The 28-year-old has agreed a three-year contract with Udinese, who finished 12th in Serie A last season.

He joined the Hornets from Bologna in 2018 and scored three goals in 90 league and cup appearances.

Masina played for Italy at under-21 level before switching to Morocco, the country of his birth, and he has so far won 16 international caps.

[themaclad]

Watford have signed former Villarreal defender Mario Gaspar.

The 31-year-old was recently released by the Spanish side after making more than 400 appearances over 13 years.

Last season he featured 18 times in all competitions, including coming off the bench in their Uefa Super Cup defeat by Chelsea.

In 2021, the ex-Spain international helped Villarreal beat Manchester United on penalties in the Europa League final.

Mario scored two goals in three appearances for his country, with his last cap for La Roja coming in 2016.

He left Villarreal as the third-highest appearance maker in the club's history.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Watford forward Kwadwo Baah has made a season-long loan more to German second division side Fortuna Dusseldorf.

[themaclad]

Championship side Watford have signed midfielder Hamza Choudhury from Leicester City on a season-long loan.

The deal for the 24-year-old includes an option to buy at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

Choudhury has made 84 appearances for Leicester since his Carabao Cup debut against Liverpool in 2017.

The Hornets have taken four points from their first two games of the new season and Choudhury could be in line for his debut against Burnley on Friday.

He made his last appearance for the Foxes in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on 2 April.

His only league goal for the club came in a 3-0 win at Newcastle United in January 2020.

Choudhury is Watford's fifth signing of the summer transfer window.

[themaclad]

Watford have signed centre-back Kortney Hause on loan from Aston Villa.

The 27-year-old ex-Wycombe Wanderers, Wolves and Gillingham defender has been loaned out by the Premier League side for the rest of this season.

Hause's move to Vicarage Road was originally lined up as part of the talks involved in taking striker Ismaila Sarr to Villa Park for £25m.

That fell through and is unlikely to be resurrected before the window closes on 1 September, but Hause has still moved.

Hause joined Villa from Wolves, initially on loan, helping them to win promotion to the Premier League under Dean Smith before signing a more permanent deal.

He becomes new Watford boss Rob Edwards' seventh summer signing - and the second Villa player to move to Hertfordshire on a season-long loan after striker Keinan Davis.

Watford sit second in the Championship, a point behind leaders Sheffield United, after an unbeaten start in their first five league games under Edwards.

[themaclad]

Watford forward Joao Pedro has signed a new contract, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2028.

The 20-year-old's new deal comes after Watford rejected attempts by Newcastle United to sign him in the summer.

The Brazilian has scored 15 goals in 83 games since arriving at Vicarage Road in January 2020, having initially agreed to sign from Fluminense as a youth player more than a year earlier.

Pedro has scored twice in nine game in the Championship this term.

He scored nine times in 38 league appearances to help the Hornets win promotion to the Premier League in in 2021, and went on to net four times in 29 games in all competitions when they were relegated from the top flight last term.