Watford have announced the exits of 27 players from Vicarage Road following the Hornets’ relegation to the Championship.
Rob Edwards’ side, who were managed by Roy Hodgson during their forgettable return to England’s top-flight, finished 19th in the Premier League table and ended the 2021/22 campaign 15 points shy of safety, only clear of bottom-placed Norwich City by a single point.
Following that relegation, there has been a mass exodus of players from the Hornets, although the majority of them are via the club’s youth sides. Former England and Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster has called time on his second spell with the club. The 39-year-old made over 200 appearances across his two spells with Watford from 2005 to 2007 and 2018 to 2022.
Jamaican international striker Andre Gray is also on the list of players to depart after a loan spell in the Championship with Queens Park Rangers during the 2021/22 term, while former Marseille, Monaco and Lyon centre-back Nicolas Nkoulou has left after playing just three times for Watford.
Midfielder Juraj Kucka has also had his exit from Hertfordshire confirmed. Kucka terminated a release clause in his contract, making him a free agent.
Elsewhere, Peter Etebo has returned to Stoke City after Watford passed up the chance to activate a clause to buy the midfielder. While only four of the 27 released stars were on the senior books, Watford have released 19 players from the club’s under-23s squad and four from the under-18s.
How will Watford fare in the Championship next season? Have your say in the comments section.
Among the youth exits is the departure of Spanish winger Maurizio Pochettino, the son of former Tottenham, Southampton and current Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Also leaving the club is midfielder Henry Wise, the son of former Chelsea and England midfielder Dennis Wise.
Of the 27 exits, one already has a new club. Youth midfielder Kamil Conteh, who has represented Sierra Leone’s senior national side three times, has joined Watford’s 2022/23 Championship rivals Middlesbrough.
Watford will look for an immediate return to the Premier League next season and at the helm is Rob Edwards, who won the League Two title with Forest Green Rovers last season.
A big task on Edwards’ list is keeping hold of top talents such as Ismaila Sarr and Emmanuel Dennis, who have been linked with transfer interest from Premier League clubs.
Watford went through three managers last season, with Xisco Munoz, Claudio Ranieri and Roy Hodgson all taking charge of the team during a poor 2021/22 term.
