Watford transfer dossier: Moulding wide-ranging Hornets squad could prove difficult for Marco Silva

After a rather uninspiring season under Walter Mazzarri, Watford have turned to former Olympiacos and Hull City boss Marco Silva in the hope that the much lauded Portuguese coach will drastically improve their league performance.

The Hornets slumped to a rather miserable 17th-placed finish last season amid rumours of dressing room unrest, and Silva, who impressed on Humberside despite overseeing Hull's relegation to the Championship, has the unenviable task of trying to mould a squad boasting close to 20 different nationalities into a team in his own image.

A raft of arrivals and departures are expected - hectic transfer windows are rather common under the Pozzo family - but the priority for Silva could be to trim the fat of the rather large squad he has adopted before turning his attention to recruiting fresh faces.

Business so far

The appointment of Silva is undoubtedly the biggest piece of business to come out of Vicarage Road so far. The 39-year-old had no shortage of suitors after leaving Hull last month, with Portuguese giants Porto just one of a host of interested parties, but Watford managed to beat off competition from the likes of Crystal Palace to tie him down to a two-year contract.

A number of familiar faces have returned to Vicarage Road after their respective loan spells, with the likes of Juan Carlos Paredes, Mario Suarez and Venezuela Under-20 starlet Adalberto Penaranda waiting to see what Silva has in store for them. Tom Cleverley's loan from Everton has been made permanent for a fee of £8m, but fellow loanee M'Baye Niang has returned to parent club AC Milan.

What they need

Watford are overloaded in some areas but rather scarce in others. The current squad boasts seven central defenders and five strikers, but with only one specialist left-back and no right-wingers there is a sense of great imbalance. Silva will need to swiftly address his new outfit's lop-sided nature.

Who could join

Incoming links have been few and far between so far. Juventus goalkeeper Neto has been rumoured to be of interest, while the Hornets are one of a host of clubs believed to be keen on signing Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs, whose time at The Emirates Stadium seems to be over due to the arrival of Sead Kolasinac.

Who could leave

Captain Troy Deeney was heavily linked with a move away from Hertfordshire last summer. A bumper new contract briefly ended speculation over his future, which is now back in question due to the fractious nature of his relationship with former boss Mazzarri.

The Italian's departure may boost the chances of Deeney remaining a Watford player, but West Bromwich Albion are believed to be keen on tempting the 28-year-old back to the Midlands. A deal may prove to be out of the Baggies' reach, though; Deeney has a £32m release clause in his current contract, according to Sky Sports.

Valon Behrami has signalled his desire to leave Watford and return to Switzerland. The former West Ham United star informed the club that he wants out and is keen to move back to his homeland in order live closer to his family in Lugano. Swiss outfit Sion are interested in recruiting the 32-year-old.

"I have had discussions with Sion, and there is something serious going on with them," Behrami was quoted as saying by The Hertfordshire Mercury. "Joining them would be a challenge for me, and I have never yet played in the Swiss Super League. I want to play for a club either in or nearer to Switzerland, as I'd like to live in Lugano with my family.

"I have told Watford that I want to move, and they will decide what happens. But I will accept whichever decision they take, as I get on very well with them."

What the manager has said

Silva has not discussed anything transfer-related since becoming Watford boss but did speak of his excitement about the plans the Pozzo family have for the Hornets when he was unveiled as the club's new manager.

"Firstly, I really like the approach of the board and the owner," Silva told the club's website. "They showed me the project and I like the ambition. I'm excited. It's a good challenge and I'm really happy.

"The club want to improve for the next seasons and this is what I try to fight for in my career as well – to always improve, to do a good job and to ensure a good connection between the manager and the club. The ambition this club has is really important to me."