Stephy Mavididi: Watford bring in England and DR Congo winger from Leicester

England and DR Congo winger Stephy Mavididi has joined Watford from Leicester City on loan, completing a move that keeps him in the English game after the clubs switched divisions.

The 28-year-old has signed for the Championship club until 31 May 2027. The transfer was completed on 1 September, with Mavididi moving to Watford after Leicester’s promotion campaign and the player’s previous spell in England’s third tier.

Mavididi is a left winger who prefers his right foot. Born in Derby, he began his career in the Arsenal academy after joining the club from Southend’s youth system in 2011. He later gained senior experience through loan spells at Preston and Charlton before leaving Arsenal Under-23s for Juventus Under-23s in August 2018.

The winger spent the 2019-20 season on loan at Dijon before making a permanent move to Montpellier in July 2020 for €6.3m. Three years later, Leicester signed him from the French club for €7.5m.

Mavididi was part of Leicester’s squad that won the English second tier in 2023-24. That success followed earlier honours in Italy, where he won the Serie A title with Juventus in the 2018-19 season and the Italian Cup at Serie C level with Juventus Under-23s in 2019-20.

His move to Watford represents a return to the Championship, where he has previously featured with Leicester. Watford’s current league record lists no appearances for Mavididi in the 2026-27 campaign, while he has played once in the EFL Cup, logging 61 minutes.

The transfer also provides Mavididi with a new club arrangement running through the end of the 2026-27 season. Leicester remain his parent club, with the recorded loan agreement scheduled to conclude on 31 May 2027.

Mavididi joined Watford on loan from Leicester on 1 September 2026.