Watford: Club enters talks to sign Wesley Hoedt with an offer made.

Al-Shabab of the Saudi Pro League have approached Watford about a potential deal for their captain, Wesley Hoedt.

According to The Athletic’s Adam Leventhal, the Saudi Arabian club has spoken with both the player and the Hornets, and an offer has been made to Hoedt.

The 30-year-old Dutchman has been linked with a move away from Vicarage Road all summer, with Turkey being the most likely destination at one point. Al-Shabab’s approach could have a significant impact.

Al-Shabab approach Watford regarding Wesley Hoedt.

According to Leventhal, the Saudis are confident that they can negotiate a deal for Hoedt and have already submitted a proposal to him. They did the same for Watford, but The Athletic reports that Shabab’s first club-to-club approach was rejected.

Hoedt is in the final year of his current contract, making the Hornets vulnerable to offers like this, as he is set to leave for free next summer. Even though this potential freedom of choice is not far off, he is said to be in no hurry to leave his current team.

Trabzonspor in Turkey expressed an initial interest in him. The Athletic reported that they made an offer of €1 million (~£850,000) for the player, but he declined and Watford demanded a higher fee to release him.

According to reports from Turkey, Trabzonspor intends to increase their offer for the 30-year-old. However, Hoedt has since sustained an injury, which may have jeopardised their defensive strategy.

He sustained an injury against Wycombe Wanderers in preseason, and according to Haber Anlik, the Turkish club is now reconsidering their transfer strategy.

The news of Hoedt’s relatively quick return may have increased Trabzonpsor’s interest in signing him. According to Andrew French, Watford manager Tom Cleverly stated before his team’s win over Stoke City that the captain would return in a week or so.

Of course, while the 30-year-old’s brief absence from the pitch, in comparison to potential fears, will have made his Turkish suitors more optimistic about acquiring him before the end of the summer window, they now face stiff competition from a team that isn’t afraid to pay big wages to players, wages that could blow them away.

Watford’s strong start could help them keep Wesley Hoedt

When French mentioned the Watford captain’s expected return date in his Cleverly update, he also mentioned another highly sought-after player: Yaser Asprilla. The Colombian winger is expected to leave the club this summer, and the manager said he would speak with him to see where his head was at.

Given what the prospects for this season initially appeared to be, players like Asprilla and Hoedt were understandably interested in seeing what else was available. However, they have started well, scoring 11 goals in their first three games of the season, and appear to be on a much better trajectory than some had feared.

It remains to be seen whether this recent improvement in form will be enough to keep the winger. However, given that Hoedt does not appear to be looking for a move, The strong start to the season will help his chances of staying at Vicarage Road.

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