Quique Sanchez Flores is adamant he wants Obbi Oulare and Steven Berghuis to remain at Watford but if they do leave on loan the Hornets head coach wants them to stay in England.

The duo have been on the periphery at Vicarage Road since arriving in the summer.

Oulare had to wait until the defeat Swansea City last month to make his Premier League debut from the bench and has just three minutes' Premier League action to his name.

Berghuis, meanwhile, hasn’t been involved in the matchday squad for a league match since the home defeat against Manchester City on January 2. He hasn’t played in a Premier League fixture since defeat at home to Arsenal in October.

Both players started the FA Cup third round win over Newcastle United as Flores made a handful of changes to his side. However, neither was involved on Saturday in the fourth round win at Nottingham Forest.

The Football League emergency loan window re-opens on February 8 and players can move out on loan for between 28 and 93 days.

Asked if that would be a suitable option for Oulare or Berghuis, Flores said: “I would like the players we’ve signed to stay here and play in our team.

“I would like them to stay in England because we want them to adapt to the football. At least they should stay in England.

“It’s not good if Steven goes to Holland or Belgium to play. I think they need to stay here and I would prefer the Championship. I prefer this football; this is strong, contact football.”

Flores added: “I think at Watford we have a couple of different ways to sign players.

“[We have] the players who we consider ready and completely prepared to incorporate into the squad and the players who we incorporate into the squad but are younger and need to adapt to the league and to be strong.

“They (Oulare and Berghuis) will be very important for the future.”

One player who did leave Vicarage Road after a nightmare season-and-a-half is Lloyd Dyer.

The 33-year-old winger was freed from the remainder of his contract and can now join another club without restriction.

He made just four league starts for the Hornets after signing a three-year deal, the last of which came in November 2014 at home to Derby County.

Flores had been clear on the fact the winger, along with Essaid Belkalem, was free to leave if the opportunity arose but had no issue with either player.

“We want the best for the players and every player is happy when they are playing. So it is necessary for them (to find new clubs),” Flores said previously.

“If not they will stay and the behaviour of these players is amazing. But Dyer and Belkalem deserve to play and hopefully they find a team where they can play.

Speaking this morning the Spaniard said: “I always said since I came here that the players can play with us.

"They need to be happy and play and for whatever reason he’s not played here.

"But the most important thing is life keeps going and they are happy and playing for other teams."