Watford have recently completed a deal to sign Ashley Fletcher, following his release from Middlesbrough. 

Fletcher spent four years with Boro, but departed when his contract reached a conclusion at the end of the 2020/21 season.

The forward made 109 appearances for the Championship side, and chipped in with 28 goals and 11 assists in total for Boro, before departing this summer.

He found regular minutes hard to come by with Neil Warnock's side this season though, and was frozen out by the Boro boss for a considerable amount of time in the second-half of the campaign.

But he's seemingly done enough to impress Watford, who have made their move for him early into the summer transfer window, as they prepare for life back in the Premier League.

The Hornets won promotion under the management of Xisco Munoz this term, as they finished second in the Championship table.

Fletcher will be eager to make a name for himself in the Premier League next season, having struggled for consistent game time with both Manchester United and West Ham earlier in his career.

The 25-year-old has taken to Instagram following his Middlesbrough departure being confirmed, and thanked the club and their supporters for his time with Boro, before wishing them well for the future.

Middlesbrough finished tenth in the Championship this term, and they'll be hoping to win promotion back into the Premier League next season.

 

 

The Verdict: 

It's good to see him wishing the club well for the future.

Fletcher certainly impressed me with Middlesbrough, and it's a shame that his time with the club ended the way it did, as he was frozen out of the first-team picture by Neil Warnock.

It'll be interesting to see how Fletcher gets on at Watford, as he'll be eager to prove a point in the Premier League, having previously found consistent minutes hard to come by earlier in his career.

If he can recapture his best form, then it could turn out to be an excellent signing by Xisco Munoz's side this summer.