Watford head coach Walter Mazzarri has praised loan signings Tom Cleverley and M’Baye Niang for the way they have given the side a much-needed lift.

The Italian is pleased with the impact the pair have made, and Cleverley has brought a sense of urgency and quality into the Hornets’ midfield.

The midfielder, who had a loan spell earlier in his career with Watford, has also fitted in well on and off the field since his arrival.

Hornets boss wants Cleverley permanently

Mazzarri started off by saying how delighted he was that the Englishman has surprised him with the way he has came straight into the side and settled straight away.

“I want to say how Cleverley has surprised me in how well he has managed to settle into our team,” he told the club's official website. “It’s like he has been playing with us for a very long time.”

There is a distinct possibility that the deal for Cleverley could be made permanent in the summer, with a clause in his contract stating exactly that.

Mazzarri, who is wanting to make the deal permanent, added: “It would make me very happy if he stays with us.

“It is important he keeps playing well and I don’t see there will be any problems.”

Niang settled into side since arrival

Watford’s other loan signing, Niang, signed on loan from AC Milan in January and has settled into the side quickly as he scored his first goal for the club against Burnley last weekend.

The 22-year-old has proved he can play on either flank or straight down the middle, and has provided a creative flair in the two games he has featured in.

“He’s a very young player and didn’t play as much at his previous team, Mazzarri said about Niang.

"It’s important what he will do tomorrow. In the past two games he has played extremely well.”

The Italian has said he will be waiting to see if the forward can “make the next step” and produce his “best performance” for the whole 90 minutes against Manchester United on Saturday.

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About the author
Andrew McDonnell
Sports writer based in the North-East of England, safe to say I have found my niche in sports writing and I strive to succeed with everything I do, including Vavel, both in the UK and USA. First official Writer of the week for the USA office too. Cover Manchester United, Watford, Cricket, MLS and NFL.