Loyalty is a quality which many a modern footballer has become distanced from as the pull of pastures new regularly prove too alluring to ignore.

Add to the equation the frequency with which club’s part company with players in search of improvements, and a nomadic existence is often the norm in the professional game.

For Sebastian Prodl, however, loyalty could not be held in higher regard as he prepares to enter his fourth season with Watford.

The defender’s stance is backed up by a career which saw him spend seven years at Werder Bremen before arriving at Vicarage Road in 2015.

He has grown in stature since that move - winning the Hornets’ Player of the Year award in 2017 - and believes he has a connection with the club.

“I have lived my football life always trying to be loyal to people and clubs. I was long-term with my team in Germany,” Prodl said.

“I am now three years with Watford, which is not as common in football these days and I think I have been loyal to the club.

“I am able to identify with the club, the philosophy and the supporters and I think the supporters know about me as well - how I feel and how I handle myself.

“I think I am becoming one of the established players, not only because of my age but also because of the experience I have collected.”

Prodl may be settled at Watford, but that hasn’t prevented interest from elsewhere arriving, despite a relatively disjointed 2017/18 season for the 30-year-old.

Scouts from West Ham, Crystal Palace and even Arsenal were in attendance as Prodl and his Austrian team mates ended a 32-year wait to beat Germany on Saturday.

All three club’s are thought to have kept an eye on Prodl, who says he has little intention of leaving Watford even if he can’t say exactly what the future will hold.

“I didn’t even know when the transfer window opened and I have three years left on my contract at Watford,” Prodl said.

“I heard about clubs watching me but at the moment I am not focused on that. I will try to finish well with my country then reflect on my season.

“After that I will make a plan for the future and at the moment I have no intention to change anything. My mood at the club is pretty good.”

While Prodl retains a positive outlook on his relationship with Watford, it is fair to say he struggled at points last season.

Injury limited him to 23 appearances in all competitions and he was in and out of the team under Javi Gracia.

The Spanish head coach took over with a club in crisis in the wake of Marco Silva’s tumultuous tenure.

He managed to steady the ship and Prodl feels leading Watford to within touching distance of the Premier League top 10 represented a successful start to life at Vicarage Road.

Gracia’s reward is the opportunity to carry his work into next season - a decision which pleased Prodl.

“We had a big chance last season to get the top 10 and missed it. The fact the club is able to believe and dream of reaching the top 10 shows how much the club has grown,” he said.

“Everyone is looking forward to having the same manager and having some ideas from the manager already before pre-season starts.

“That is a positive thing and he came into the Premier League and had to perform straight away, which made it difficult.

“To give him a pre-season can help and is good for the players.”