Following his move to Watford, Payero's current-season form is down 67% on last season (Season 15→5), while his Rating eased 49→37. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 60).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Watford · 20th	8	0	0	6.58	55	4
2025/26	CremoneseLoan · 18th	25	1	0	6.58	49	15
2024/25	Udinese · 12th	27	1	1	6.79	67	19
2023/24	Udinese · 15th	29	2	2	6.75	71	33
2023/24	Middlesbrough	1	0	0	6.7	—	—
2023/24	Boca Juniors	10	4	0	6.87	—	—
2022/23	Boca JuniorsLoan · 1st	15	1	0	6.57	48	7

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 5 earlier seasons in the full career.

Argentina · international

Side	Apps	G
Argentina U23	3	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthDefensive midfielder

M. Payero is a 28-year-old defensive midfielder at Watford, rated 37.1 overall by Field Insider's model. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (16.4% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.72 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Payero.

On the season, Payero graded 5 for current form (age-blind), on 0 goals, 0 assists and 3.717 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 15 → 5). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 37. At 28 Payero is in his prime years, and a market index of 10.3 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2020/21 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2020/21Trending downBreakout: 2023/24StreakyInjury-hit 2025/265 clubs

37.1

Ratingi

developing / rotation level

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

16.4%

Minutes

limited game time

3.72

Def. actions / 90

solid defensive volume

Output in context · Watford finished 20th of 24 · a lower-table side

Apps

3.72

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.72 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume across 8 appearances. Doing that for a lower-table side (20th of 24) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight.

Strengths

Defensive volume. 3.72 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.

Watch points

Game time. Only 16.4% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 37.1 overall — developing / rotation level. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (3.72 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %16.4%

Available fixtures11 of 11

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 903.717

Player flow

Goal involvements0

Shot conversion %0

Shot accuracy %33.3

Pass accuracy %78

Dribble success %66.7

Cards / 900.796

Foul involvement / 903.717

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~17), then tapers with age. At 28, Payero sits on 10.3, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Payero's projected Rating — 37.1 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the Championship with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Shots on target3

Shots9

Passing

Assists0

Chances created3

Passes103

Pass accuracy78%

Possession

Successful dribbles4

Dribble success66.7%

Duels won20

Duels won %44.4%

Fouls won7

Defending

Tackles7

Interceptions4

Blocks3

Fouls committed7

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards3

Red cards0

Transfer history

WatfordJul 2026 – now

Udinese(back from loan)Jun 2026 – Jul 2026

Cremonese(on loan)Aug 2025 – Jun 2026

UdineseSept 2023 – Aug 2025

Middlesbrough(back from loan)Jul 2023 – Sept 2023

Boca Juniors(on loan)Jul 2022 – Jul 2023

MiddlesbroughAug 2021 – Jul 2022

Banfield(back from loan)Jul 2020 – Aug 2021

Talleres Cordoba(on loan)Aug 2019 – Jul 2020

Banfielduntil Aug 2019

About M. Payero

Martín Ismael Payero is a 28-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Watford, born on September 11, 1998 in Pascanas, standing 183 cm tall. He is from Argentina. Watford currently sit 20th of 24 in the Championship.

This season

In the current season, M. Payero has made 8 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 339 minutes, with 3 yellow cards.

M. Payero's next match is on October 31, 2026, when Watford face Norwich away in the Championship.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. Payero at 37.1 with a Season form score of 5. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 4 career titles — among them the Super Copa and the Liga Profesional Argentina. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 10 recorded seasons, M. Payero has totalled 181 club appearances with 12 goals and 13 assists for 7 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2023/24, with 29 appearances for Udinese.

M. Payero's career has also included time at Udinese, Cremonese, Middlesbrough, Boca Juniors, Banfield and Talleres Cordoba.

On the international stage, M. Payero has represented Argentina U23 — 3 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Watford finished 20th of 24 · a lower-table side

Strengths

Watch points