Daniel Bachmann will begin the 2022/23 season as Watford’s first-choice goalkeeper.

The 28-year-old Austrian international has made 41 appearances for the club since signing from Stoke City in 2017, though all of them have come in the last two seasons.

He kept Ben Foster out of the team during the second half of the 2020/21 season and began in goal last term. However, he lost his place to Foster after the 3-0 defeat to Norwich at Vicarage Road in January and didn’t play again until the last day of the season at Chelsea.

“Dan will start the season in goal,” said head coach Rob Edwards. “I’ve had a chat about it with Madu (Okoye), who isn’t just a really good goalkeeper but also an unbelievable person.

“I think Dan deserved it after having a very good pre-season but I know that Madu is going to fight. He’s a top keeper and he is going to push Dan, and I’d also include Ben Hamer in that too. We have some very good players in that position.

“It’s probably the most difficult decision I’ve had to make so far as you can only have one goalkeeper on the pitch. You pick one and you know the others can’t play.

“But we’re blessed with very good goalkeepers and that can only be a good thing for us.”