Wesley Hoedt in advanced talks after Watford reach Al Shabab agreement | OneFootball

Hoedt is closing in on a move away from the Hornets

Watford centre-back Wesley Hoedt is closing in on a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Shabab as Tom Cleverley shapes his new-look squad with deadline day edging ever closer.

The Athletic has revealed that Hoedt is in advanced talks with Al Shabab regarding agreeing personal terms on a permanent transfer, and he has been informed that the Hornets have agreed a deal in principle with the Saudi Pro League club, with just one year left on his existing deal.

Final details between the player and the club are yet to be formally completed, but the Dutchman is now set to seal a move to Saudi Arabia, after the Athletic previously claimed that Watford had been in talks with Al Shabab, and French outlet Sports Zone also reported their interest.

The centre-back joined the Hornets from Belgian outfit Anderlecht in January 2023 for a reported initial fee of £220,000, and has made 63 appearances for the Vicarage Road club, and also won their Player of the Season award for his standout performances last campaign.

Hoedt's transfer saga set to come to an end

It will come as no surprise to Watford fans that Hoedt is set to leave in the coming days, given he has been touted for a potential exit throughout the last few months of the transfer window.

He emerged as a target for Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor in July, according to Turkish outlet Sabah Spor, and it was claimed by Dirlis Postasi that Hoedt's move to the Istanbul-based side was set to be confirmed after an agreement between the two clubs had reportedly been reached, before 61Saat gave an update that the Hornets were yet to make a decision on the matter.

Not long after, Karadeniz Gazete stated that Trabzonspor had upped their bid to a figure of €1.5m from a previous valuation of €1.2m with the 30-year-old keen on a move, but it was then reported that they were set to pull out of the deal over concerns about his fitness, and a deal did not materialise as he looked likely to stay in Hertfordshire prior to reports of Al Shabab's interest.

The Athletic's Adam Leventhal first reported on August 20 that the Saudi Pro League side had made an approach for Hoedt, and were confident of getting a deal done despite Watford turning away an initial club-to-club approach, and they now seem to have made a break-through with Hoedt finally set to leave soon.

Not only was the Dutchman one of Watford's standout players last season, he is also the club captain and one of their leaders on and off the pitch after assuming the armband halfway through the 2023/24 campaign.

The ex-Southampton man made an immediate impact upon his arrival at Vicarage Road as he made 15 appearances in his first six months, then featured 48 times in all competitions last season, while also registering three goals and three assists each.

He is set to be a huge loss to Tom Cleverley's squad with his exit all but confirmed, and will certainly need replacing this week with the season already underway and not much time in the window left.

Hoedt has not played in any of the first three games of this season due to injury, with Cleverley rotating his back three between Matt Pollock, Francisco Sierralta, James Morris and Ryan Porteous, and the likes of Joao Ferreira, Kayky Almeida and Antonio Tikvic all not set to play consistent games in the first-team as yet.

The 30-year-old will be a real sore miss to his side this season, and Watford fans will hope that they are at least set to receive a fee bigger than what they paid Anderlecht 18 months ago to soften the blow of his exit.