What the sale of Udinese could mean for Watford.
The Pozzo family is reportedly in the process of selling Italian club Udinese after 39 years of ownership. Udinese is owned by Giampaolo Pozzo, the father of Watford owner Gino Pozzo.
The two teams are inextricably intertwined, and have been since the Pozzos began working with the Hornets in 2012. So the expected sale of Udinese to a group of American entrepreneurs, apparently valued over £150 million, has Watford fans thinking, “What does that mean for us?” The timing is interesting. The Watford owner and his board have been under pressure from supporters unhappy over the resignation of the immensely popular head coach Tom Cleverley and the way the club has been run since relegation from the Premier League in 2022.
Many fans have questioned whether Gino Pozzo is still the right man to lead Watford forward, and whether he is considering selling up. However, in a rare statement a month ago, Mr Pozzo emphasised his “absolute commitment to Watford” and his mission “to make this club the very best that it can be… to make Watford competitive, successful, and challenge for a return to the Premier League”. So, with the anticipated sale of Udinese, will the Pozzos invest more money into the Vicarage Road club? Maybe some, but Hornets fans should not anticipate millions to be spent on transfers.
The transaction will involve more resources than cash. For example, Gian Luca Nani was the sporting director of both clubs; he can now focus entirely on Watford. The Hornets will not be spending heavily on transfers. Apart from the Premier League years, they have never performed well under Pozzo’s management. This was never the Watford model under Pozzo. Watford’s business in the years leading up to the Premier League was done through free transfers, the majority of which came from Udinese and the other Pozzo-owned club Granada, with bargains such Almen Abdi, Matej Vydra, and Marco Cassetti. They also looked beyond the world for youthful talent, bringing in players from South America and Africa.
And it isn’t going to change. As Pozzo stated in his most recent report, “We are not abandoning the model that has served us well over the years: identifying and developing youth.” Without Udinese, Watford will miss out on the savvy dealing that has occurred between the two Pozzo-owned clubs. Work permits may also be an issue, and it would not be surprising if the Pozzo family ended up purchasing an Italian or Spanish club in the second or third division to reap the benefits of a’sister’ club. There have long been speculations that Pozzo wants to sell Watford, but the sale of Udinese makes that unlikely for the time being. It would put them out of the game and the player trading that they seem to so enjoy.
The Premier League generates significantly more cash than Serie A, so perhaps they are putting all their eggs in one basket in an attempt to return there. Their summer transfer activity thus far supports this argument. The Hornets have already signed three savvy free agents, with more on the way. While Hornets fans should not expect big-money additions this summer, the Udinese sale may prevent the club from having to sell existing talents Giorgi Chakvetadze, Kwadwo Baah, and Imran Louza.
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