Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd has revealed he would prefer to enter the loan market as he attempts to strengthen his squad.Boothroyd admitted last week that he "went overboard" last January in bringing in eight players in an ultimately futile bid to try and preserve their Premier League status.

He has so far only converted Hereford winger Lionel Ainsworth's loan move into a permanent switch this year and believes that loan moves allow him to gauge a potential signing's character.

He said: "In an ideal world I would get them on a season loan and look at them closely and get to know their character.

"You can be recommended a player but you only know 100% once you get them under your wing.

"In an ideal world it would be a loan with a view to a buy, but you don't always have that luxury."

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