Watford appear unlikely to complete the signing of Udinese defender Jens Stryger Larsen this summer, as per TuttoMercatoWeb.

The Hornets are preparing for life back in the Premier League after winning promotion this season, finishing second in the Championship behind Norwich City.

The club will look to strengthen its playing squad and give Xisco Munoz the best possible chance of guiding them to safety next season.

The Watford Observer reported yesterday that Udinese defender Jens Stryger Larsen is a target for the Hornets, due to the links with the Italian side through the Pozzo family.

There has also been talk of an agreement already being in place between Watford and Udinese, but those claims have been placed into doubt.

Larsen has made 33 appearances in the Serie A this season, but only has one year left on his contract at Udinese meaning that they may look to cash in this summer, rather than potentially run the risk of losing him for nothing next summer.

But TuttoMercatoWeb claim that it is an "impossible hypothesis" for Larsen to move to England this summer, and claim that Udinese are not willing to sell the Dane.

The Verdict

You have to wonder whether the links between Watford and Udinese are healthy for the Hornets.

It seems as if they transfer players between either club for fun, without really planning for any potential signing and doing it for the sake of it.

They need to recruit wisely this summer, and that doesn't mean swapping players between either club for lower prices than usual just because it's the easy option.

They do need depth in defence, though, and Larsen looks like a commanding figure at the back who could be beneficial for Xisco's side.