Following his move to Watford, Payero's current-season form is level with last season (Season 15→14), while his Rating held around 55. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 60).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Watford · 7th	2	0	0	6.5	55	14
2025/26	CremoneseLoan · 18th	25	1	0	6.58	55	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 27-year-old defensive midfielder at Cremonese, rated 55.1 overall by Field Insider's model. In his prime years, he has been a rotation option this season (42.7% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 1.97 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 15 for current form (age-blind), on 1 goal, 0 assists and 1.974 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 15 → 14). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 55. At 27 Payero is in his prime years, and a market index of 34.1 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

55.1

Ratingi

a solid contributor and squad regular

15.2

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

42.7%

Minutes

rotation minutes

1.97

Def. actions / 90

light defensive volume

Output in context · Cremonese finished 18th of 20 · a relegation-threatened side

Apps

1.97

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

1.97 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — light defensive volume, with 5 clean sheets across 25 appearances. Doing that for a relegation-threatened side (18th of 20) 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. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Watch points

Game time. Only 42.7% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Defensive numbers. Modest 1.97 defensive actions per 90 for the position.

Outlook

Rated 55.1 overall — a solid contributor and squad regular. Defensively he reads as light defensive volume (1.97 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). In the prime window — at or near peak market value, so the next two seasons are the ones to cash in or build around. Doing it for a lesser side, he profiles as a value buy for a club higher up the table.

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

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %42.7%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.062

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900.062

Defensive actions / 901.974

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Cards / 900.493

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 age 27 (~34), then tapers with age. At 27, Payero sits on 34.1, at or near its peak. The blue line is Payero's projected Rating — 55.1 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

Goals1

Passing

Assists0

Defending

Tackles19

Interceptions10

Blocks3

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards8

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 27-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 7th of 24 in the Championship.

This season

In the current season, M. Payero has made 2 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 61 minutes, with 1 yellow card.

M. Payero's next match is on August 29, 2026, when Watford face West Ham at home in the Championship.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. Payero at 55.1 with a Season form score of 15.2. 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 175 club appearances with 13 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.