Premier League newcomers Watford have completed the signing of Turkish international Ozan Tufan from Fenerbahce on a first-season loan option.
The 26-year-old has spent the last six seasons with Fenerbahce and his performances in recent years have attracted interest from all over Europe.
It is Watford who have won the race for Tufan’s signature and announce that he will be on a season loan on Thursday morning. The Hornets also have the right to make their move permanent at the end of the season, after introducing a call option in the deal.
The midfielder started his career with Bursaspor before signing for Fenerbahce in 2015, where he has made over 150 appearances. He is a defensive midfielder with 63 international caps to his name, and also contributes nine goals after making his debut in Turkey in 2014.
Watford have tried to strengthen their midfield when they want to avert relegation back to the championship. The Hornets were relegated at the end of the 2019/20 Premier League campaign, but bounced back to the top flight at the first question time.
Juraj Kucka is among 12 new faces at the club this season, but the Slovakian midfielder faces up to three months on the sidelines after suffering an injury on the opening day against Aston Villa. Elsewhere, the most notable signings are Emmanuel Dennis – who twice reached for Club Brugge against Real Madrid in the Champions League – Josh King, formerly of Bournemouth and Everton, and Danny Rose – who was released by Tottenham at the end of his contract.
✍️ We are pleased to announce the signing of the coveted Turkish international midfielder Ozan Tufan from Fenerbahçe! @_ AFEX
– Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) 19 August 2021
Tufan’s arrival strengthens Watford’s midfield hand but could signal a departure for Will Hughes, who is currently at odds with the club over a new contract. The Hornets have offered him a five-year extension to his contract, but the 26-year-old has rejected the club’s progress so far and is now in the final 12 months of his contract.
Consequently, Hughes has trained away from the first team, and it is considered to have been the subject of a bid of 5 million pounds from Crystal Palace – an offer that was rejected.
