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Watford FC has locked in a deal to bring Italian goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia to England from Bologna FC, with the 26-year-old set to undergo his medical in London on July 16. The deal is structured as a loan for the 2026-27 season, with an option to purchase Ravaglia’s contract for roughly $9 million. That option reportedly converts into an obligation if Watford secures promotion to the Premier League.
For Watford, currently competing in the English Championship, the structure makes perfect sense. Spending big on a goalkeeper while stuck in the second tier is the kind of decision that can haunt a club’s balance sheet for years. But tying the permanent fee to promotion means the money only flows when the revenue to support it arrives. Bologna, for their part, gets their youth product off the books while retaining upside. If Ravaglia performs well enough to help drag Watford into the top flight, they collect their fee. If not, the player comes back.
What Ravaglia brings to Hertfordshire
Ravaglia isn’t exactly a household name, but his numbers are quietly solid. The keeper has accumulated 37 league appearances in Serie A and recorded 10 clean sheets across his professional career. Born on November 11, 1999, Ravaglia came through Bologna’s youth academy and has bounced around Italian football to get minutes. His loan CV reads like a tour of Italy’s lower divisions and mid-table clubs: Sudtirol, Gubbio, Frosinone, and Reggio Calabria all hosted him at various points.
What this means for Watford’s goalkeeping setup
The arrival of a new goalkeeper almost always signals a reassessment of existing options. Watford’s current goalkeeping roster may see some reshuffling as a result of this deal, with competition for the number one shirt likely to intensify during preseason. For Ravaglia personally, this is arguably the biggest opportunity of his career. A successful season at Watford could mean permanent residency in England’s top two divisions, a significant step up from being a third-choice keeper at a Serie A club.
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