Watford set to strike deal for 71-cap international midfielder | OneFootball

The veteran midfielder is reportedly closing in on a return to Vicarage Road

Watford are set to seal the transfer return of ex-France international midfielder Moussa Sissoko following his departure from Ligue 1 outfit FC Nantes, according to various reports.

Preparation work has already been undertaken by head coach Tom Cleverley ahead of a season that must represent significant improvement for Watford, with both Rocco Vata and Jonathan Bond recently arriving as the club's two opening summer arrivals.

Cleverley made a fair start to life in the Watford dugout after taking over from Valerien Ismael back in March, and he will be hoping to build upon a disappointing season that saw the Hornets record their lowest league finish in 14 years, with only six points separating them from 22nd-placed Birmingham City.

Now, the reportedly-impending arrival of Sissoko could provide a welcome boost to such aspirations.

Moussa Sissoko set for Watford transfer return

According to Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb, Sissoko has the opportunity to secure a Vicarage Road reunion after his contract with Nantes expired last month.

Watford sold Sissoko back to his homeland in July 2022 following their relegation from the Premier League, and the powerful midfielder chalked up 72 appearances for Nantes across a two-year period, scoring twice.

The report details that Sissoko is looking for a new destination and is likely to join Watford again, marking a return to England where he has spent the majority of his career turning out for Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur as well as the Hornets, although it would be his first time as a Championship player.

Meanwhile, a separate report from Foot Mercato has revealed that the 34-year-old is set to undertake a medical on Monday before penning a two-year contract with the club.

Moussa Sissoko could add some much-needed experience in midfield for Watford

There will be understandable question marks about granting a two-year contract to a player of Sissoko's age, but with that comes pedigree which has been honed in the highest echelons of world football and should seamlessly translate to the Championship, too.

Sissoko has made over 200 appearances for both Toulouse and Tottenham Hotspur respectively and more than 100 for Newcastle while attaining a commendable 71 caps for the French national team between 2009 and 2021.

Naturally with age, he may not be able to single-handedly run midfields with the same levels of dynamic and domineering athleticism as he has previously done for both club and country, but he still possesses the experience and quality to make a real impact in the Championship, especially given he made over 50 appearances for Nantes in France's top-flight over the last two years.

With Ismael Kone now having transferred to Ligue 1 giants Marseille, Sissoko feels like an ample midfield replacement on a short-term basis, while they will have some financial muscle in the transfer market moving forwards.

Getting a player of Sissoko's calibre to move to the Championship on a free transfer should be regarded as a real coup for Watford, and he'll prove a formidable competitor for many second-tier midfielders next term.