Watford may be forced to sell Imran Louza this summer as the midfielder has a release clause which could allow him to leave the Hornets after three years, according to the latest reports.
The Morocco international moved to Vicarage Road back in 2021 when the Hornets were promoted to the Premier League under former Sheffield Wednesday boss Xisco Munoz. The Hertfordshire outfit paid a reported £8 million to Nantes for the midfielder following their promotion to the top-flight.
Louza had a tricky debut season at Watford as the club were relegated straight down to the Championship with three different managers taking the reins in the 2021/22 campaign. Across the next two seasons, managerial changes were to become more prominent and Louza would make merely 36 appearances in England’s second tier, having also spent the second half of this campaign on loan at Lorient in Ligue 1. Nevertheless, the board still managed to tie Louza down to a long-term contract at the start of the 2022/23 season, securing his future until 2028.
However, Ouest France, via Football League World, have reported that this new lengthy deal includes a release clause, although it does not state the exact valuation that any suitors would need to pay to trigger his sale.
Furthermore, the outlet are claiming that Watford are open to selling the French-born star this summer, with clubs in France and Spain keeping tabs on his situation with the Hornets, while Louza currently boasts a market value of slightly under £6 million, as per Transfermarkt.
Writer’s View
Louza is a player who is too good for the Championship. He came to England almost three years ago with the hopes of becoming a regular starter in the Premier League but this dream didn’t last long as Watford dropped out of the top tier, having accumulated just 23 points in 38 games.
Nevertheless, the Hornets will be receiving their final parachute payment since being relegated so selling Louza for in and around what they paid for him three years ago may not be the worst piece of business by the board.
