The 35-year-old has signed a three-year deal at Home Park and succeeds Miron Muslic, who left Devonshire to join 2. Bundesliga outfit Schalke.

Despite a turnaround under Muslic in the final few weeks, the Pilgrims couldn't escape relegation on the final day, seeing them finish 23rd in the Championship. 

Cleverley left Watford in May after a 14th-place finish, following a disappointing second half of the season that saw them miss out on the play-offs.

Despite the team's performance, his 14-month tenure was the longest for a Watford boss at Vicarage Road since September 2019. In 60 games, Cleverly secured 20 wins and 14 draws.

It's now been confirmed that three members of his backroom team from Hertfordshire: Damon Lanthrope, Matt Bevans, and Chris Douglas, have all joined him.

What can the fans expect

In his first interview, Cleverly said on his style: "I would expect us to control the football...there has to be a final product, a real purpose to our possession of the football...I like to control the controllables and let's start off with intensity and aggression."

New tactical trends are expected in PL2, including playing out from the back, overlapping full-backs, and an attacking, possession-based style. Muslic often favored a 3-4-2-1 formation, while Cleverley typically used a 4-3-3, sometimes adjusting to a 3-4-3 based on player availability.

Moreover, a budget exceeding their 2023 League One winning season, owner Simon Hallett has assured fans that the club, with Cleverley on board, is fully committed to an immediate return to the Championship. 

While Ryan Hardie (F) and Daniel Grimshaw (G) have moved on to new opportunities within the EFL, and the loan periods for players like Nikola Katić (D) and Muhamed Tijani (F) have concluded, this creates a fantastic chance for a "mini-rebuild" within the squad.

There's no doubt that Cleverley and the team have already identified promising targets and are ready to bring in fresh talent.

Which assets could flourish? 

Jamie Paterson (F)

The 33-year-old was the first signing of the window, having made eight substitute appearances for Coventry City last season, scoring one goal in that time. A versatile forward, the number seven has played over 450 matches in the EFL. 

Xavier Amechi (F)

The 24-year-old provided nine goal contributions in 25 matches for 1. FC Magdeburg last season in the 2. Bundesliga. Handed the number 10 shirt, Amechi was the first signing under Cleverely, and seems almost nailed on the wing. 

Bali Mumba (D)

The Pilgrims' versatile wing-back, the number two, offers strong presence on both flanks.

Despite taking 22 shots last season (joint-sixth highest for the team), he didn't find the net. However, his attacking contributions extended to two assists and 264 final-third passes – the second most.

Notably, he was by far the team's most progressive player, carrying the ball over 1000 metres more than the next closest teammate.

Given Cleverley's system heavily relies on wing-backs, the 23-year-old could be a significant asset at Home Park.

Insights provided by the team at Fantasy Football Scout, the leading voice in fantasy football who’ll be providing coverage on teams, player picks and strategy for the Fantasy EFL game throughout the season here and on their own dedicated EFL channel here.