Quique Sanchez Flores has revealed he expects Watford to soon sign a midfielder but is yet to make a decision on Matej Vydra's future, while rejecting reports of a move for Mario Balotelli.
The Hornets boss, whose team host Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday, has been linked with several high-profile players -- Liverpool striker Balotelli and free agent Yoann Gourcuff included -- but said that for now a more defensive midfielder is his priority.
"We have three players, [Ben] Watson, [Etienne] Capoue and [Valon] Behrami, in this position so we are a bit weak," Sanchez Flores said. "The season is very long and we need to replace injuries and suspensions. Maybe we have news in a few days in that position.
"The [end of the] market is close, there will be a lot of players going in the last moment and some going to come in the last moment.
"I like [Crystal Palace's Adlene Guedioura]. I checked him in matches at the end of last season. He was one of the main players in the squad, but I don't exactly know what is his situation now because this changes every day. He is a good player but I don't know about the possibility of bringing him back.
"Inside the club we didn't talk about Balotelli. It is more of a possibility in the media than in the club. We didn't talk about him.
"I don't know if [club owner] Mr Pozzo was offered [Gourcuff]. But I do like players of this kind of quality."
Nottingham Forest have enquired about signing Vydra on loan, but Sanchez Flores is yet to decide whether he is prepared to allow the 23-year-old Czech to leave, raising the possibility of another forward joining the club before then.
"We didn't make an official decision in the case of Vydra," said Sanchez Flores. "We wait a little bit more to decide, maybe three or four days. It depends on a lot of things, a lot of things can change.
"Always the players want to play. Sometimes players who are not playing, their passion is not so big. The league is very long and you need to have the patience to wait for the opportunity. Some players can wait for a long time, some want to leave.
"Players are sometimes looking for other options and we respect the ideas of the players. We know the brain sometimes has the idea to change and look for other clubs. I respect that. The final decision is on the club.
"If players move, from Watford, more players will come in to use this position. We have to wait as it is only speculation now.
"[Vydra] has different qualities and I watch him in training every day, but we take a decision on him soon."