Watford boss Malky Mackay wants to sign four or five players

8:30am Friday 30th July 2010

By Anthony Matthews

Malky Mackay wants to sign "four or five" new players but Watford are refusing to comment on claims that a fourth bid for Troy Deeney has been rejected.

The Hornets were tight-lipped earlier this week amid reports that three previous offers for the Walsall striker had been turned down.

Sources close to the League One club believe the last of these was submitted early last week, but as the Watford Observer went to press yesterday afternoon it was reported that a fourth bid, said to be worth £375,000, had also been spurned. Despite this development, the Hornets' stance remained unaltered.

We reported last week that Watford were "still considering an approach" for the Saddlers' Player of the Year, but when asked about the forward, who scored 14 goals last season, Malky Mackay said: "I'm not going to talk about signing players at other football clubs."

While the Watford manager has been consistent in not discussing new signings until deals are done, he may be close to getting Deeney because sources had indicated that Walsall may be willing to sell for less than £375,000.

Mackay would also not be drawn on reports linking highly-rated winger Matt Phillips with a move from Wycombe Wanderers.

The 19-year-old, who still has a year left to run on his contract at Adams Park, was part of the England squad that was beaten 3-1 by Spain in the semi-finals of the European Under-19 Championships on Tuesday.

But Preston North End are also said to be interested in the Aylesbury-born player, who was set to face a Chelsea XI last night, and are reportedly willing to spend £400,000.

But the Watford boss has assured fans that "we're trying" to get more players in, with the start of the new season now only a week away.

Mackay said: "We're talking to plenty of people and we're probing and we'll just keep chipping away until the people are signed. I'm not going to actually comment on what I'd like to get in, but it is something that is ongoing.

"Be assured that we're trying our hardest for this football club to get people in and to get good quality players in."

Asked if preparations for the new campaign are where he would like them to be following Tuesday's 2-0 win at Stevenage, the Hornets manager responded: "Certainly fitness-wise. I think tonight showed that with the way they kept going and going until the end.

"Preparation-wise, I would love to have more players in the door. You can see how small the squad is and how young the squad is, so we definitely need to get four or five bodies – quality players – in the door."