Watford are still very much in the driving seat to seal an instant return to the Premier League after one season away, with Xisco Munoz having seen his side remain in second place for much of his time in charge of the club so far. 

With four games left of what has been another scintillating Sky Bet Championship campaign, there is still much to play for at Vicarage Road as they seek to stave off a late surge from Swansea City in third place, with the gap between the two clubs currently standing at just six points.

Games against Norwich City, Brentford and Swansea present tough tests for the Hornets during the run in and they will know that they are running out of room for any slip ups as they look to close in on promotion.

Meanwhile, plans are sure to already be underway for the summer as Munoz seeks to pinpoint which areas of his squad need strengthening ahead of a probable return to the top flight.

Here, we round up all of the latest transfer rumours that have swirling around Watford in recent days.

Newcastle United ace eyed

As per The Sunday Mirror (18/04/21, p62), the Hornets are said to be lining up a bid for Newcastle United goalkeeper Karl Darlow this summer as they search for a long-term successor to Ben Foster.

The report goes on to state that the Championship side are prepared to offer up to £6 million for the former Nottingham Forest man and hope that the promise of regular game time will convince the shot stopper to make the move south.

With Freddie Woodman set to return to Newcastle at the end of the campaign following the end of his loan spell with Swansea, it is thought that the Magpies could be tempted to cash in on Darlow.

The Northampton born keeper has largely played number two to Martin Dubravka since signing for the club back in 2014.

Winger targeted

According to Portuguese news outlet O Jogo, the Hornets are said to also be targeting a move for Boavista winger Alberth Elis.

The 25-year-old Honduras international was previously linked with a move to the UK last summer, with the likes of Celtic and Stoke City said to have held an interest in the wideman in the past.

However Elis ended up moving to Portugal and has since proved to be a hit on the continent, notching up five goals and six assists.

The player himself signed a five year deal with Boavista upon signing for the club and as a result the Hornets will have to stump up a decent sized fee to snare him away from the city of Porto.

Interest in defender

The Sun on Sunday (11.04.21, pg67) has also suggested that Watford are interested in signing Sheffield United's Kean Bryan this summer.

A defender by trade, the 24-year-old is out of contract at Bramall Lane in a few months and faces something of an uncertain future as the club looks to bounce back from relegation whilst also searching for a replacement for Chris Wilder.

It is said that the Blades have halted all player discussions over contracts until they appoint a new manager and as a result the Hornets could take advantage of any uncertainty.

The Athletic are also reporting that Swansea City hold an interest in the player as he weighs up his future in South Yorkshire.