Ricardo in, Louza out: The dream start to Watford's summer transfer window | OneFootball

After a flat final day performance away at Middlesbrough, Watford FC's miserable 2023/24 campaign was finally over.

The 3-1 defeat to Middlesbrough condemned the Hornets to their worst league finish in over a decade, and indeed their worst position in the league standings since the Pozzo takeover in 2012.

With the above in mind, there is clearly plenty to do this summer, with new head coach Tom Cleverley having plenty to work on in the coming weeks and months if the club are to be more competitive next season.

Naturally, some of that work will be in the transfer market, choosing the right players to bring in, and indeed deciding which players to let go.

With that said, here is one in and one out that could represent a strong start to the window for the Hornets.

OUT: Imran Louza

It is a shame to say it, but it feels like the right time for Imran Louza to depart Vicarage Road.

Although there is clearly a talented player in there somewhere, he has simply not shown it consistently enough, even in the Championship after being signed as a player for the Premier League.

Of course, it could be argued that injuries have played a part, and that is fair, but there have also been lacklustre performances and discipline issues, which there are no excuse for.

It speaks volumes that even in such a poor season for the club, they elected to loan Louza out in January to Ligue 1 side FC Lorient.

The Moroccan midfielder has been in and out of the relegation-threatened side in France, but the hope will be that a club somewhere has seen something they like and will come calling early in the window.

Contracted to Watford until 2028, there is every chance Louza could be a part of the set up at Vicarage Road next season. However, in an ideal world, the club would cash in on the 25-year-old and recoup some of the reported €10m fee they paid for him in 2021.

IN: Elan Ricardo

It is always hard to predict what business Watford will do in the transfer market, but given that Louza could exit, and that Jake Livermore's contract is currently expiring at the end of June, midfield reinforcements could be needed.

One name that the club have been linked with recently that could be a strong first signing this summer is Colombian midfielder Elan Ricardo.

Reports in Colombia via Antena 2+ last month suggested that the club could sign the 20-year-old midfielder for just over one million euros this summer, and a more recent update via journalist Adriano Savalli has claimed that Watford and Ricardo's club, La Equidad, have reached an agreement on a deal, with only the signing and exchanging of documents to be done before negotiations close completely.

If true, given Watford's previous South American additions, it could be an exciting player to bring in.

In recent years, the club have had great success importing the likes of Richarlison and Joao Pedro from Brazil, and Yaser Asprilla from Colombia, and Ricardo could be the latest name to follow.

So far in his short career, the defensive/central midfielder has made 22 senior appearances for La Equidad, scoring six goals in those matches.

It will certainly be interesting to see if he can be as big of a success as some of the aforementioned names if indeed he does arrive at Vicarage Road this summer.