Daniel Bachmann: The clear winners from Watford's summer transfer window so far | OneFootball

A pair of Hornets have done well off the back of their club's work in the transfer window.

A lot of Watford's major transfer business so far this summer has been focused on players leaving the club, but some players have benefitted from what the Hornets have done in window.

The most significant move that they have been involved in at this point is the deal that saw Ismael Kone leave the club to join Marseille.

The Canadian international has moved to France in a deal worth £15 million, according to The Athletic, and that is not the only piece of selling that Tom Cleverley's side may have to do before the end of August.

Yaser Asprilla has caught the attention of many top clubs across the continent, including Arsenal and Barcelona. Those inside the club are said to be acceptant of the fact that the Colombian winger will likely leave Vicarage Road before the window shuts.

It's not been all about departures and losing players though. Watford have brought in the likes of former fan favourite Moussa Sissoko. Alongside the French midfielder, attacking midfielder Rocco Vata and goalkeeper Jonathan Bond have also arrived.

With this movement in the market by the Hornets, there are some in Cleverley's team that will be worse off for it, but these two have certainly done well off the back of the club's deals.

Daniel Bachmann

Bachmann was the first-choice keeper for Watford in the back end of the season. However, for a decent chunk of the campaign, the Austria international was warming the bench behind the now departed Ben Hamer.

Hamer has since joined Sheffield Wednesday after his contract ended, and the Hornets have filled his spot with Bond. The last time their new shot-stopper played in England was before he went to join MLS giants LA Galaxy in the winter window of 2021.

Bond was a West Brom player then, but he hadn't actually played a game in the second tier since the 2015/16 season.

You wouldn't necessarily think that a player of his recent experience - he hasn't played first team games since 2023 - would be someone that is going to take Bachmann's spot, unless the boss has some masterplan for the 31-year-old.

Cleverley showed his faith in the Austrian during his short spell as boss towards the end of the season, and he has reaffirmed said belief by signing a goalkeeper who is likely to be the back-up.

Moussa Sissoko

Not only has the aforementioned eight-figure sale of Kone helped Sissoko this summer, but the release of veteran Jake Livermore makes his presence in the squad all the more important.

Watford do have some other options in the middle of the park, like Imran Louza and Tom Dele-Bashiru, who has just signed a new deal with the Hornets, but the 34-year-old's experience at the top flight - having just joined from Ligue 1 side Nantes and played a regularly part there - will bring a different element.

Fans of the club will know full well the physical presence that Sissoko brings to any team too, although that may have changed a bit as he is now 34.

But the sale of the Canadian and the release of Livermore makes the Frenchman's spot in Tom Cleverly's team a bit more sure - he was playing top flight football last season and he's not played in the second tier of a country's footballing pyramid in his career, so this represents a drop down in class for the France international.