Last season’s top scorer Emmanuel Dennis currently looks the most likely departure from Vicarage Road of those players expected to leave following Watford's relegation from the Premier League.

The striker has been linked with the likes of West Ham and Aston Villa, and although there is no clear front runner in the race to sign the 24-year-old, I’m told this move is the one that has progressed the most since the end of the season.

Club Brugge would be entitled to a small sell-on fee for Dennis, around the five per cent mark, but with the fee likely to be in the region of £20 million, sending £1m to Belgium would still mean a significant profit on the £3m they paid for him.

Another player expected to exit Vicarage Road this summer is Ismaila Sarr, but the Hornets are playing hardball on this one as they refuse to allow their prize asset to leave for less than they believe is reasonable.

The winger cost £28m when he joined from Rennes in 2019, and although his form was patchy last season, club officials are set on at least recouping what they paid. They will point to his form for the Senegal national team, his achievements during previous seasons and the fact that his club performances last term were hindered by injuries and the general poor performances of the team.

The likes of Liverpool, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and even AC Milan have been linked with the 24-year-old but as with so much at this time of the year, kite flying by agents is the main catalyst for such stories. Watford will fight for a price they believe is right and any Sarr suitors will be told as much.

There is certainly no desire on Watford’s part to lose Joao Pedro. They have had no approaches and talk of him joining clubs like Liverpool, West Ham and Benfica is just that.

Agents aren’t the only people to test the water via the media – clubs will do that too. I’ve ‘planted’ stories on behalf of players and clubs many times, and it’s often a case of using the media to see if something you hope might be possible can actually come to fruition.

Watford have had no offers for Philip Zinckernagel, who is being linked with a permanent move to Nottingham Forest given they have now secured promotion to the Premier League. The club are not actively looking to sell but as with any player, a bid in the right area - probably more than the £2m that’s been touted - would obviously warrant consideration.

As for incoming transfers, Watford’s name has been mentioned in connection with Wigan striker Will Keane, and also Derby captain Tom Lawrence who is now out of contract. I’m told both these are pure rumours.