Imran Louza? The 3 Watford FC players that need to prove a point in pre-season or risk 2024/25 axe | OneFootball

The Hornets may not use these three players much next season unless they perform well in pre-season.

Watford are set to enter a new era under Tom Cleverley.

He may have taken interim charge of the Hornets during the latter stages of the 2023/24 campaign, but now he has been appointed permanently, he may have more power to make key decisions.

With former loan players leaving and others departing when their contracts expire, including Jake Livermore, Ben Hamer and Ashley Fletcher, there is work to do in the transfer market.

Pre-season will be important for new signings, who will need time to settle into life at Vicarage Road, but it will also be vital for existing first-teamers who have a point to prove to Cleverley.

We take a look at some players who could risk being omitted from the squad or offloaded by the Hornets unless they enjoy a productive pre-season.

Imran Louza

This is probably a controversial choice, because the Moroccan is arguably one of the Hornets’ best players when he’s at the top of his game.

However, he may need to show consistency in pre-season if the Hertfordshire outfit are to be persuaded to keep hold of him beyond the end of the summer window.

With Ismael Kone looking set to depart the club, Louza could be required as an extra midfield option, with the latter’s quality able to make a real difference.

He is thought to be attracting interest from teams in France and Spain - and Ouest France believes the Hornets are open to a loan or permanent exit for Louza.

If a deal fails to materialise in the short-term though, this pre-season period could allow the midfielder to chance the Hornets’ stance, if he still wants to be at the club.

With the player still having four years left on his contract, the club are in a strong position to generate a high fee for him and cashing in on him this summer may be an attractive option.

Tom Ince

Last summer, the Hornets looked to have made an excellent signing when they recruited Tom Ince, with the winger being brought in from Reading for a reported fee of just £50,000.

Unfortunately though, his impact at Vicarage Road has been very limited, and it's a massive shame for the player who would have wanted to continue to shine following such a successful 2022/23 campaign at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

The Royals may have been relegated at the end of that season, but Ince performed very well for much of that campaign and was unlucky to miss the latter stages of the term with an injury.

Cleverley may not be heavily blessed with wide options, but there are alternatives he could turn to, including promising young players like Jack Grieves and Zavier Massiah-Edwards, with both playing on the final day against Middlesbrough.

Ince only has one year left on his contract, so selling him now could be a good option if any bids come in for him.

However, clubs may not be willing to fork out a fee for him, and that could lead to a limited amount of game time for the wide player next season before he's potentially released.

A good pre-season could make him a more important part of Cleverley's plans though.

Kwadwo Baah

Baah is only 21 at this point and could be one for the future.

However, he didn't make too much of a difference in front of goal for Burton Albion last term, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him go out on loan again next term.

He will need to impress in pre-season to have a real chance of playing regularly for his current club during the 2024/25 campaign.