Watford FC closing in on double transfer swoop involving Chelsea | OneFootball

James Abankwah and Caleb Wiley look set to return to Vicarage Road for the 2025-26 season

Watford are closing in on a double transfer deal for both James Abankwah and Caleb Wiley - both of whom were loanees at Vicarage Road last season.

The Hornets have undergone yet another managerial change since the 2024-25 Championship campaign ended, with Tom Cleverley sacked and quickly replaced by Uruguayan coach Paulo Pezzolano, most recently of Real Valladolid.

Whilst that decision didn't go down well with all of the Watford fanbase, what has been well-received is their swiftness to land Peterborough United midfielder Hector Kyprianou on a free transfer, and they look well positioned to add to their summer business in the coming weeks.

Watford FC close to completing James Abankwah & Caleb Wiley deals

According to Watford Observer journalist Andrew French, negotiations to secure Udinese defender Abankwah on a permanent basis and another loan deal for Chelsea left-back Wiley, whilst not in a position to be confirmed as done deals just yet, are ongoing, and that there is a "very strong chance" of both getting over the line sooner rather than later.

Both players spent the second half of the 2024-25 season at the Hertfordshire outfit, with 21-year-old Abankwah also called up to the Republic of Ireland national team for the very first time on the back of his strong performances at club level.

Abankwah appeared 19 times for Watford in the Championship, and whilst he was sent off against Oxford United, he generally impressed at the heart of Cleverley's defensive unit, and if completed, the deal will signify another transfer between two Pozzo-owned clubs, as has happened plenty of times since 2012.

Wiley meanwhile is also looking very likely to sign a second loan deal at Vicarage Road, having played 10 times for Watford last season.

The 20-year-old, who has been capped three times by the USA, had a delayed introduction to life in the Championship because of a shoulder injury, but he started Watford's last eight league matches, notching an assist in a 1-0 win over Hull City.

Watford's crest on a corner flag

Reuters / Hannah McKay

Livepic

EDITORIAL USE ONLY." data-image-id="113824" data-mobile-optimized="true" height="1716" src="https://static0.footballleagueworldimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2016-10-01T000000Z_1619581761_MT1ACI14628419_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-WAT-BOU-scaled.jpg" width="2560" />

It certainly appears that with the appointment of Pezzolano recently has seen fresh urgency injected into the powers-that-be at Watford, who are trying to give him a squad capable of going for at least the Championship play-off spots next season.

Watford were quick to make it clear that Pezzolano had won promotions in multiple countries and that is what his new goal will be too, and adding the likes of Abankwah and Wiley back to the squad is certainly a promising sign.

Getting transfer business done early doors is a good thing, and it may give them somewhat of a head-start on many of their rivals for the upcoming campaign - especially when they are young players who will need time to develop to become their best form, with the expected arrival of Abankwah permanently being a big coup, given his potential.