Watford will not be offering left-back Achraf Lazaar a new contract this summer, a report from The Athletic has revealed.

Lazaar only joined Watford on a short-term deal until the end of the season back in February, having previously been a free agent following his release by Newcastle earlier in the year.

The Moroccan has so far made just four appearances since his move to Vicarage Road, failing to really establish himself in the Hornets' first-team, despite the club securing an immediate promotion back to the Premier League this season.

Now it seems as though that has led to Watford making a big decision on the future of the 29-year-old, before the campaign has come to an end.

According to this latest update, the Hornets will not be offering Lazaar a new contract when his current deal expires at the end of the season, despite the fact that they do have the option to extend by a further 12 months.

As a result, Lazaar, who had also made just a handful of appearances for Newcastle after joining in 2016 - spending time out on loan with Benevento, Sheffield Wednesday and Cosenza - now looks set to find himself looking for another club this summer.

The Verdict

This looks to be the right decision for Watford to make to me.

Lazaar has never really managed to settle in during his time at Vicarage Road, where his performances have been somewhat unconvincing.

As a result, it may have been a risk for them to stick with him on their return to the Premier League, given they are going to be desperate not to suffer an immediate relegation back to the Championship.

Indeed, moving Lazaar along at the end of this season would help to free up space in the squad for new recruits this summer, meaning it does seem to make sense for Watford, although the left-back himself may not be relishing the challenge of finding yet another club in the next few months.