Tactics expert Adrian Clarke analyses five signings likely to transform their new teams' style of play.
After Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka and Everton's Idrissa Gana Gueye, he looks at a dash of much-needed Argentinian flair brought in at Watford.
Roberto Pereyra
It's been all change at Vicarage Road with 11 new faces replacing a total of 15 players who have departed this summer.
Of those acquisitions, Roberto Pereyra is likely to be the most influential and Watford head coach Walter Mazzarri has stated as much.
Ahead of the former Udinese and Juventus midfielder's first appearance last weekend against Arsenal, Mazzarri said: "He is a runner and got good dribbling abilities and in my opinion we needed him. He was the missing point in our squad. He has got different characteristics to other players."
It's hard to disagree with his assessment.
The Watford squad Mazzarri inherited from Quique Sanchez Flores was short on creativity, with few players capable of breaking through the lines with a piece of trickery.
Assists from the Watford midfied were minimal last term. Adlene Guedioura (two), Steven Berghuis (two), Valon Behrami (two), Ikechi Anya (one) and Etienne Capoue (one) were the only midfielders to set up a goal, and two of those players have since left.
The list below of chances created from open play in 2015/16, featuring only players still at the club, proves how reliant the squad has been on the front two of Troy Deeney and Oidon Ighalo manufacturing their own opportunities.
Watford chances created from open play in 2015/16
| Player | Chances created |
| Troy Deeney | 54 |
| Odion Ighalo | 36 |
| Etienne Capoue | 24 |
| Ben Watson | 10 |
| Nordin Amrabat | 5 |
| Jose Holebas | 5 |
| Valon Behrami | 5 |
| Adlene Guedioura | 5 |
Although never a regular for Juventus last season, Pereyra created 1.9 chances per match, and has achieved an average of more than one per match for the last five seasons. Happy to run with the ball or into space, the 25-year-old has more zip in and around the box than many of his new team-mates.
The Argentinian scored a debut goal against Arsenal, popping up inside the area to thrash home a loose ball, and that's something he must do more of whether he's used out wide, or in an advanced central role.
Watford need him to catch fire. They only scored 10 home goals from open play last season and the only Premier League side to register fewer shots than them in the first three matches this season are Burnley. That puts too much pressure on their strikers to dispatch the rare chances they receive.
Providing a much-needed spark, Mazzarri has high hopes that Pereyra's ability inside the final third will make a huge difference on the creative front.
