Watford Loan Players: How They Got on Away From Vicarage Road During the 2018/19 Season

After guiding Watford to an impressive 11th place finish in the Premier League last season, Javi Gracia will be hoping to break into the top 10 next year and

After guiding Watford to an impressive 11th place finish in the Premier League last season, Javi Gracia will be hoping to break into the top 10 next year and challenge for a Europa League spot.

The club sent a number of players out on loan in an attempt to aid their development. Some of these players will look to fight into Gracia's first-team plans next season, whereas others will have to look for a move away from Vicarage Road. 

Heres how the most prominent loanees fared. 

Stefano Okaka

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Striker Stefano Okaka spent the second half of the season on loan at Italian side Udinese. He made 16 appearances, scoring six goals and contributing one assist. 

Okaka impressed while on loan in Italy and managed to hold down a starting spot weekly. His performances would have been enough to capture the attention of Javi Gracia, with the striker potentially doing enough to force himself into the manager's plans next season. 

Rating: 7/10

Dodi Lukebakio

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Youngster Dodi Lukebakio spent a season with German outfit Fortuna Düsseldorf. Lukebakio had a breakthrough season in the Bundesliga, putting in a number of impressive performances. 

The winger made 31 appearances, netting 10 goals and registering a further four assists, finishing the season as Düsseldorf's top scorer. His highlight was a hat-trick against champions Bayern Munich that gained Düsseldorf a vital point. 

The Belgians could (probably should) be in Javi Gracia's plans for next season. 

Rating: 9/10

Juan Hernández

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Colombian forward Juan Hernández spent a season in Spain with Huesca. The striker was a prominent figure in the team, making 34 appearances. In a struggling side, he scored four goals and provided three assists in all competitions. 

The striker failed to make the impact that he would have hoped in Spain and will most likely be sent back on loan next season. However, one bad season isn't the end of the world for Hernández, as he is only 20 and has plenty of time to improve. 

Rating: 5/10

Dimitri Foulquier

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Right-back Dimitri Foulquier was sent on loan to La Liga side Getafe. The defender featured in both the league and the Copa del Rey for Getafe, notching up 25 appearances over the course of the season. 

Despite being a defender, Foulquier scored three goals and registered three assists for the Spanish outfit. The Frenchman produced a number of solid performances for Getafe while on loan and will likely be in Watford's plans next season. 

Rating: 7/10

Marvin Zeegelaar

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Dutch defender Marvin Zeegelaar also spent the second half of the season with Udinese. After arriving, the left-back started all but five games for the Italian side. 

Despite being a defender, Udinese utilised Zeegelaar as a left midfielder for a number of fixtures. The Dutchman failed to register any goals or assists whilst in Italy and his loan spell was underwhelming.

After falling down the pecking order at Watford and failing to impress on loan, it is unlikely that we will see Zeegelaar in a Watford shirt any time soon. 

Rating 4/10