Slaven Bilic issues glowing verdict on Watford man rarely seen this season | OneFootball

New Watford manager Slaven Bilic says he can’t wait to see Imran Louza up to full fitness and playing regularly for the Hornets.

Louza joined Watford last summer from French side Nantes, and was one of the brighter sparks for the club as they suffered relegation from the Premier League.

However, a knee problem has restricted the Morocco’s international’s game time recently, with his substitute appearance in Sunday’s 4-0 win over Stoke – Bilic’s first game in charge – his first appearance of the season.

Even so, the 23-year-old was able to impress massively during his time on the pitch against the Potters, and it seems that has left Bilic relishing the prospect of having the midfielder available from the start in the months to come.

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Did Watford win, lose or draw the last time they played at Goodison Park?

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Speaking about Louza’s situation after that win over Stoke, Bilic told The Watford Observer: “We have to be careful as he didn’t play for five months before Sunday, so we can’t go crazy and expect 90 minutes from him straight away.

“But, to be honest, I can’t wait for him to be completely fit. We aren’t far from that, maybe one or two games more. Once he gets three games into his legs and the work we do on the training pitch – well, what a player.

“I watched him play before in club games, and I watched him play for Morocco. My friend was his national team manager for Morocco so I spoke with him also. Everybody I spoke to said the same about him. He is a very, very good player.”

Louza ony recently signed a new long term contract with Watford, securing his future at Vicarage Road until the end of the 2026/27 season.

The Verdict

You can understand why Bilic is excited by the prospect of being able to use Louza.

Given how he was able to stand out in the Premier League last season, you would expect him to have a major impact in the Championship, and the early signs against Stoke were promising.

However, it does make sense for the Watford boss to be cautious here, since he will need time to get up to full fitness, without risking any further setbacks.

With so many games remaining in the season, that is something the Hornets may be able to afford to do, meaning Louza could make a major impact in the latter stages of the campaign.