We take a look at the contenders to be the next manager of Watford as the pressure increases on Alessio Dionisi.
Former Empoli and Palermo boss Dionisi arrived at Vicarage Road in June, with the club opting for the Italian coach as the successor to Ed Still.
After beating Southampton on the opening day of the season, Watford have struggled for consistency and there is discontent amongst supporters following the defeat at Bristol City.
Here are our top five contenders to be the next Watford manager...
Next Watford Manager Contenders
Erol Bulut
Former Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut has been linked with a move to Watford in the past.
The Turkish coach has been out of work since leaving Antalyaspor in December 2025.
He led Cardiff to a top-half finish in the Championship in the 2023/24 season but he was dismissed in the opening weeks of the following campaign.
Carlos Corberan
Carlos Corberan has recently been relieved of his duties at La Liga side Valencia.
He is well known to English football after previous spells at Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion.
The 43-year-old is unlikely to be short of offers in the coming months and it would be quite a coup if Watford could appoint him.
Paul Heckingbottom
After losing his job at Preston North End, Heckingbottom could be tempted to jump straight back into management.
Heckingbottom was sacked after losing six out of his first seven fixtures as Preston boss this season.
He has a Championship promotion on his CV from his time at Sheffield United and he will feel as though he has a point to prove.
Niels Frederiksen
Danish manager Niels Frederiksen has been linked with a move to England in the past and his stock is particularly high at the moment.
Frederiksen is currently in charge at Polish side Leck Poznan where he has won back-to-back Ekstraklasa titles.
The former Denmark Under 21s manager has also won a domestic title with Brondby and the time could be right to test himself in England.
Dave Challinor
Dave Challinor is available after leaving Stockport County following the club's League One play-off final defeat to Bolton Wanderers in May.
Challinor's record as a manager is an impressive one after achieving a play-off finish or better in each of his 15 full seasons as a manager.
He will want to consider his next move carefully and Watford could be seen as a risk following the number of managers they have had in recent years.
