Watford’s retained list was submitted to the Premier League ahead of their return to the EFL Championship.
The Hornets have confirmed that 10 Nigerian players have been kept on ahead of the start of pre-season preparations.
Super Eagles players Maduka Okoye, Emmanuel Dennis, Samuel Kalu and William Troost-Ekong, Nigeria U23 international Tom Dele-Bashiru, Dapo Mebude and Joseph Hungbo have been retained.
Former Manchester United schoolboy, Hamzat Balogun will be entering the second year of his scholarship on July 1, 2022, while Emmanuel Adeyemo and Darrin Enahoro-Marcus are the other scholars retained.
Dele-Bashiru, Mebude and Hungbo spent the entirety of last season on loan at Reading, AFC Wimbledon and Ross County respectively.
Okoye is set to return to Vicarage Road after spending the remainder of the 2021-2022 season on loan at Sparta Rotterdam following his move in the January transfer window.
Midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo has returned to his parent club Stoke City, with whom he has a contract until the end of next season.
