Barely a week after blaming their "unwarranted approach" for Watford's decline this season, and Marco Silva's eventual sacking as head coach, the Hornets could again be thwarted by Everton over a potential move - but this time for Barcelona winger Gerard Deulofeu.

The Spain international is a club target and has received the blessing of new head coach Javi Gracia, with the Catalan giants desperate to move him on since signing Philippe Coutinho last week.

However, Everton are understood to have inserted a clause in the deal meaning he cannot move on from the Nou Camp for a year - although this may leave him available to leave on loan.

Then Toffees manager Roberto Martinez told the Liverpool Echo while he was still at Goodison Park: “If they take him back they can’t sell him for a season, so he has to stay in the first-team squad for a season.

"At the end of that if they decide to sell him we have got first rights of getting him back or we have got a big percentage of that deal.”

Given the recent war of words originating from Vicarage Road, you wonder whether Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright might not look favourably on Watford's pursuit if there is anything they can do about it.