The 4 Watford players likely to never play for the club again After Contract Were Officially Cancelled
Could these Hornets have played their last match for Watford?
With the 2023/24 Championship campaign now behind them, Watford Football Club will certainly look back on the season with mixed emotions.
On the one hand, it has been a poor campaign at Vicarage Road, with the club ending up mid-table and some distance away from the play-off positions having once again finished the season with a different man at the helm than they had started.
On the other hand, however, the club now have Tom Cleverley in charge on a permanent basis – a former captain and player that knows the club inside out and is adored by fans. That, at the very least, is something to look forward to heading into 2024/25.
Of course, some big decisions will need to be made by the club’s hierarchy and new boss when it comes to transfers this summer, with the club and Cleverley needing to ensure they not only bring in the right signings, but also allow the right players to move on.
With that in mind, here are four players who currently look as though they may have played their last game for Watford heading into the summer.
Jake Livermore
This could prove an unpopular one given that he has proved to be a fairly popular figure since his arrival at Vicarage Road last summer. In fact, Jake Livermore has far exceeded any expectations Watford supporters had of him following his arrival at Vicarage Road.
The fact remains, however, that he is out of contract this summer, and is yet to sign a new deal.
A few months ago, a one-year extension seemed inevitable, with reports that Livermore was discussing a new deal, however, Tom Cleverley’s arrival as head coach may have changed that.
Whereas Livermore had been a regular starter under Valerien Ismael, for example, under Cleverley, Livermore has barely featured, often going as an unused substitute.
Even when he has played, it has simply been a handful of minutes.
It could be that at 34, Cleverley simply does not feel Livermore can play how he wants, casting serious doubt on his Watford future. This is certainly one to watch heading into the summer.
Ben Hamer
Like Livermore, Hamer also sees his contract at Watford expire this summer after an unexpectedly involved season.
Firmly second choice to begin the campaign, Hamer soon took Daniel Bachmann’s place and kept it for quite some time. In fact, when Bachmann was eventually reinstated in the latter days of Ismael, it was rather harsh on Hamer.
Reports in February also suggested that like Livermore, the possibility of a new deal was on the table, but since then, he has lost his place in the side and Cleverley has backed Bachmann as his number one so far.
Watford would likely love Hamer to stay on as number two, but, there may well be Championship sides out there willing to offer him playing time on a free transfer this summer.
