After years of speculation linking him with a move to the Premier League, Will Hughes is eager to finally make an impression on the top flight with Watford.

The talented 22-year-old midfielder was the subject of speculation for a number of transfer windows, before sealing an initial £4.5million switch from Derby County to Vicarage Road earlier this summer.

Having never tasted the rarefied air of English football’s upper echelons, Hughes, who has 165 Championship appearances to his name, is ready to make his mark.

“I am massively excited, it’s a relief as well because it has been spoken about for quite a few years now, for me to step up to the Premier League,” Hughes said.

“Unfortunately it wasn’t with Derby and I have a chance with Watford, so hopefully I can take that chance.

“It has been a long time coming. I was close with Derby but we didn’t quite make it and I felt like my time was up there.

“To have the opportunity to play in the Premier League, I am really looking forward to it.”

While the clarity of Hughes’ ambition is apparent, the array of midfield talent at Marco Silva’s disposal muddies the waters en route to a regular starting berth.

Tom Cleverley, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Etienne Capoue, Ben Watson and fellow new boy Nathaniel Chalobah will all provide competition to Hughes.

The England Under-21 international is happy to fight for a place in the first team and insists he would be foolish to expect easy passage into the starting XI.

“I am by no means going to walk into this team, there is competition for places and I am going to learn from these players at the same time,” he said.

“I am going to have to bide my time whether I start or not, so it is going to be a long old season.

“There are going to be a lot of different challenges for me as I have said before. I have not played in the Premier League before, so time will tell.”

The man he will have to impress if he is to establish himself at Vicarage Road is, of course, Silva.

Watford’s head coach has already called on Hughes to use the ball quicker in pre-season and it will be interesting to see if he can take that advice on board.

For Hughes, working under the former Hull City and Sporting Lisbon boss, who has a reputation for his hands on approach to coaching, was incentive enough to depart Derby – a club he joined 10 years ago but one which no longer matched his game.

“He was a massive draw. Playing for a manager who suits your style as a player is a great thing and goes under the radar a bit,” he explained.

“I wasn’t suited to the to the style that Derby were trying to play, so to make the step up and have someone like him to work under, I am going to learn a lot.”

“I have already learned a lot in a short space of time and I can’t wait to see how I improve over the next few years.”