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Watford have signed Danish striker Luca Kjerrumgaard on an initial season-long loan from Udinese.

The Italian club signed Kjerrumgaard, 22, this summer after he scored 22 goals in 29 games for Odense last season, helping them win promotion to the Danish top flight.

He came through the Odense academy but has also spent time on loan at second-tier Nykobing and in Norway with Stabaek.

"Luca is a talented player who has performed very well in Denmark," Hornets boss Paulo Pezzolano said, external.

"Now he has the opportunity to play in a competition as tough as the Championship and give us more options in attack.

"We're really excited about his signing."

Udinese and the Hornets are both owned by members of the Pozzo family, who are currently trying to sell the Italian Serie A club after nearly 40 years involvement.

Watford finished 14th in the Championship last season and sacked head coach Tom Cleverley, replacing him with Pezzolano.

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Watford have signed forward Nestory Irankunda from Bayern Munich for an undisclosed fee, on a five-year contract.

The 19-year-old Australian began his career at Adelaide United, making his debut aged just 15 during the 2021-22 season.

He made 61 appearances for the club and scored 16 goals over three seasons before joining Bayern in 2024.

"Nestory can be a very special player and we believe he can realise his potential here, with us," said Sporting Director Gian Luca Nani.

"He is exactly the sort of profile (head coach) Paulo (Pezzolano) wanted in a winger.

"Nestory was extremely sought-after and thanks to our established scouting network and connections we were able to be ahead of others in the race to sign players of this potential."

Irankunda spent last season on loan at Swiss side Grasshopper Zurich, scoring once in 19 games, and has five caps for Australia.

Watford begin the new Championship campaign on 9 August, with an away game against promoted Charlton Athletic.

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Caleb Wiley has joined Watford on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

The 20-year-old returns to Vicarage Road following a loan spell during the 2024-25 season in which he played 10 games.

Watford head coach Paulo Pezzolano told the club's website: "Caleb is a really exciting player. He combines tactical knowledge with real attacking thrust and bags of offensive potential."

Wiley becomes Watford's ninth signing of the summer.

The American has been capped three times by USA and played at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

He joined MLS side Atlanta United at the age of 11 and signed for Chelsea in July 2024 for a fee of about £8.5m.

Watford's sporting director Gian Luca Nani said, external: "He was impressive in the games he played for us last season and his attitude is incredible.

"To have him for a full season means we have the talent and consistency Paulo [Pezzolano] wants defensively," he added.

Watford begin their 2025-26 Championship campaign at Charlton Athletic on Saturday, 9 August (12:30 BST).

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Watford defender Antonio Tikvic has joined German club Preußen Münster for an undisclosed fee.

The centre-back played three games for the Hornets after joining from Italian side Udinese, initially on loan in July 2024.

The move was made permanent the following month.

Tikvic is a Croatia Under-21 international and had a spell on loan at Austrian club Grazer AZ during the 2024-25 season.

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Defender Ryan Porteous has completed a £752,000 ($1million) move from Watford to Los Angeles FC.

The centre-back made 82 appearances for the Hornets after joining them from Scottish Premiership club Hibernian in January 2023, and spent the the second half of last season on loan at Preston North End.

Scotland international Porteous, who has 13 caps, has signed a three-year contract with the Major League Soccer club, with an option for another year.

"We're excited to welcome Ryan to LAFC. He brings competitiveness, leadership qualities, and the type of mentality we value at this club," said LAFC co-president John Thorrington.

"His experience at both the international and club level, along with his defensive intensity and ability to play out of the back, will be a great addition to our group as we push toward our goals this season."

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Watford defender Joao Ferreira has signed for French second division side Saint-Étienne.

The 24-year-old, who has been with the Hornets since January 2023, has moved for an undisclosed fee.

The Portuguese right-back has not played for the club since April of that year and has spent the past two seasons out on loan.

Ferreira made 35 appearances in Italy's Serie A for Udinese during 2023-24 and then spent last term in Portugal's top flight with SC Braga.

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Watford have completed the signing of central defender Max Alleyne on a season-long loan from Manchester City.

The 20-year-old becomes the Hornets' 10th summer signing and his arrival follows the departures of central defenders Ryan Porteous, Francisco Sierralta and Antonio Tikvic this summer.

"Max stands out for his technical ability. He's a very versatile player and being ambidextrous, he can play on both sides of the field," new Watford boss Paulo Pezzolano told the club website., external

"Seeing Max play, it is clear that the Man City academy is doing a great job. Now it's our job to contribute to Max's development, help him settle in the professional game and get the best out of him for Watford."

Alleyne was named on the bench by Pep Guardiola for the first-team's Premier League fixtures against Everton and Ipswich Town in the 2024-25 campaign, and won City's Under-21s player of the season award.

He is the son of former England and Gloucestershire cricketer Mark Alleyne.

Alleyne could make his Watford debut in their opening Championship fixture away to Charlton Athletic on Saturday [12:30 BST].

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Watford have signed Senegal defensive midfielder Nampalys Mendy on a one-year contract following his release by French top-flight club Lens.

The 33-year-old returns to England having spent six seasons with Leicester City, who he joined from Nice in July 2016.

In his time with the Foxes he made 118 appearances with 98 in the Premier League.

Mendy was also part of the club's FA Cup winning squad in 2020-21 but was an unused substitute in the 1-0 win over Chelsea in the final.

He becomes Watford's 11th signing of the summer and his deal has the option for an additional 12 months.

"We are delighted to have signed him," Watford sporting director Gianluca Nani said., external

"He has experience of English football with Leicester and he was the player they signed to replace [N'Golo] Kante.

"Mendy recovers the ball well, he has very good in-game intelligence, is aggressive without the ball and is a leader in the way he plays as players follow him."

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Watford full-back Ryan Andrews has signed for Swiss club Young Boys for about 3m euros (£2.6m).

The 21-year-old came through the Hornets academy and made 96 first-team appearances, the last as a late substitute in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Southampton.

Andrews has agreed a four-year deal with Young Boys and technical director Mathieu Beda said: "Ryan Andrews is an exciting player with a very good mentality. He is dynamic, fast, and hungry. These are qualities we want to see in our team."

Young Boys are fifth in the Swiss Super League with eight points after five games of the new season.

"I've had my highs and my lows at the club in terms of performances and with playing and not playing," said Andrews, who played for England Under-20s.

"I'll definitely be watching the results from afar and if I ever come back when there is a game on of course I'll come down to Vicarage Road, because this is home to me and all I have known."

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Watford have signed winger Nikoloz Chikovani and right-back Jeremy Petris for uindisclosed fees, and centre-back Formose Mendy on a season-long loan.

Frenchman Petris has signed a four-year deal with the club after his exit from Belgian side Royal Charleroi.

The 27-year-old played in Italy and Bulgaria before joining Charleroi in January 2024.

Assistant to the sporting director Valon Behrami told the club website, external: "He is an offensive wing-back that is pacy and likes to make runs from deep.

"He has the ability to make a difference, especially going forward where he will be a useful player to have in one-v-ones and crosses."

Senegalese international Mendy, 24, joins from Lorient on loan with Watford having an option to buy. He made 22 appearances in Ligue 2 last season.

"Formose was our number one target so we are absolutely delighted to close the deal," Behrami said.

"We've been tracking the player for some time amid lots of interest from other clubs. He has all the attributes our technical department wanted in a defender."

Chikovani, a Georgia Under-19 international, has joined from Dinamo Tbilisi on an undisclosed contract with the Hornets expected to send him out on loan.

"Nikoloz is a talented young player with real potential," said assistant to the Sporting Director Valon Behrami on the club's website., external

"He can play on either wing – and we've seen him a lot playing on the left and coming inside."