Luke Dowling explained Watford's late transfer business on deadline day, revealing the strategy behind the delayed activity. The sporting director spoke on the club's official podcast about why the club waited until the final days of the window to complete their business, which can be seen in the fixtures and standings so far.
Dowling believes waiting for the end of the month enabled Watford to sign players they may otherwise have missed out on. He told the club's official podcast that two of the three loan signings on the last day were long-term targets, with their respective clubs looking for initial sales before any deals could be completed, and this is reflected in the current squad lineup.
Soumaila Coulibaly and Stephy Mavididi were the headline arrivals on the final day of the transfer window. Dowling confirmed once the international break is here, they'll see everyone up to full speed and it'll be a squad that's exciting to watch, with the stats showing promise for the upcoming matches. Myron Boadu was also a target who came along later in the window, with Dowling stating that once that doesn't happen for the player, then loan opportunities become available.
There has been suggestion that a midfielder may be looked at, but Dowling revealed the coach was involved in the decision not to sign another one. He stated the discussions we've had with the coach - and who he sees playing in there - we've got six good players for those positions depth. Dowling added if he plays three in there, there's obviously more players that are going to miss out, and if he ever does change the system to play two in there, there's obviously more players that are going to miss out.
Squad culture and the path forward
Chairman Scott Duxbury admitted they have a matchday squad of 20 and the maths are challenging. However, he believes the culture shift has been accomplished, stating you can see around the training ground there's a real spirit. Duxbury said last year there were lots of different factions and different interests, whereas this pre-season everybody who's been brought in is all part of the same team. With players like Mattie Pollock and Hector Kyprianou instrumental in driving that culture, the chairman is really hoping that the culture shift will pay dividends on the pitch, and the injuries will not hinder their progress.
Current situation and next steps
The Hornets currently sit 14th in the Championship, 5 points behind leaders Swansea. Their next fixture is against Preston at home on 2026-09-08. Currently sidelined are Jeremy Ngakia, Kwadwo Baah, Marc Bola, Myron Boadu, and Soumaila Coulibaly. Dowling said the option still exists to add free agents to the squad, with Ex-West Ham striker Michail Antonio still training with the club, and the fixtures list will be updated accordingly.
