Watford closing in on significant off-field agreement | OneFootball

Watford are set to appoint Ben Manga as their latest director of football, according to Sport1.

The 48-year old is currently under contract with German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt, with his deal lasting until 2026.

However, it is believed that an agreement has been reached with the Hornets to take on a new role with the Championship club.

The club’s current sporting director Cristiano Giaretta isn’t expecting to have any change to his current position within the club.

While no contract with Watford has yet been signed, it is understood that an agreement will be confirmed in the coming days.

Manga has received a lot of plaudits for his work with the Bundesliga club, having been promoted from chief scout to director of football earlier this year as part of his big four-year contract extension.

Frankfurt are the current Europa League champions and sit 4th in the German top flight table.

Quiz: What shirt number are these 25 current Watford players?

1 of 25

What is Joao Pedro's shirt number?

10 9 8 12

Meanwhile, Watford are currently 4th in the second division standings, with Slaven Bilic currently in charge of the first team squad.

Watford return to action on 11 December when they face Hull City, with the season currently on break due to the World Cup.

The Verdict

Watford are looking to have this move confirmed before the World Cup break concludes next month, which makes a lot of sense.

Bringing Manga in now will give him some weeks to prepare for the January transfer window, which could yet prove pivotal in their promotion push.

The team has not quite had the consistency of their top six rivals this season, but good form has brought them back into contention in recent weeks.

It could yet be a busy winter period for the club, with the potential a number of ins and outs in January.