Watford ended their winter window with a clear message about Othmane Maamma: he is staying put.

After a busy few days of interest, the Championship club decided to block every approach for the Morocco U20 World Cup winner.

As reported by Fabrice Hawkins, from RMC Sport, Roma, Monaco, Lille and Nantes all tried their luck before the window shut. Roma and Monaco even pushed loan deals that included an option to buy. Watford still said no.

The club never really wavered. While interest gathered pace across France and Italy, Watford remained calm and consistent. Internally, the view was that Maamma is part of the group and not a player to be moved on mid-season, regardless of how attractive the structures might look on paper.

Maamma’s rise has been steady. His performances for Morocco at youth level, capped by the U20 World Cup title, only sharpened the focus on him. That explains the late rush from clubs looking to secure a talented winger with upside. Still, Watford chose continuity over disruption.

With the transfer window now closed, the situation is settled. Maamma stays at Vicarage Road, and Watford can move forward without further noise...