Ben Foster’s move to Watford looks to be on the verge of completion, with a reported £2.5 million deal close to being agreed for the goalkeeper.

The 35-year-old West Brom keeper could even complete his return to Vicarage Road later this week and is preparing to take a medical in the next few days.

Foster was on loan at Watford between 2005 and 2007 and helped the club earn promotion to the Premier League and was named Players of the Season during his spell.

He refused to join the Baggies at their pre-season training camp to Portugal last week and Watford are said to have had a £1m offer rejected.

His previous ties to Watford have helped play a role in convincing Foster to leave a club where he is settled after spending seven years at the Hawthorns.

Should Watford complete a deal to bring Forster to the club, Javi Gracia will have answered one of the key problems remaining in his squad.

The Spaniard opted to use loan signing Orestis Karnezis as his number one for most of last season and Gomes has himself admitted he expects to depart Watford this summer.

Foster, with his vast Premier League experience, would provide a readymade replacement for Gomes, who has one year left on his contract, in goal.