Former Watford loanee Alexander Merkel has claimed he was treated like "goods in a supermarket" when he was sent on loan to Vicarage Road.

The ex-Germany youth player who now plays internationally for Kazakhstan, claimed he had an agreement to go on loan to the Bundesliga, but instead his parent club Udinese, also owned by the Pozzos, preferred to keep the player within their own set-up and sent him to Hertfordshire instead.

While with Watford, Merkel made just 11 appearances, scoring once and receiving a red card on his debut against Reading.

Speaking to Bild, the midfielder claims he was "very sad" during his time with the Hornets and there was "no humanity" involved in his move.

"I was given the chance to move to the Bundesliga," said Merkel.

"You agree terms with a club, you absolutely want to go there, but you have no right to go there.

"This is very difficult to cope with as a young player. It hurt really, I was very sad. But that's the business, the club is the corporation, and we are the goods like in the supermarket.

"Not only in my case - often humanity is left behind."

Now aged 27, Merkel is at Dutch side Heracles Almelo where he said he is far happier.

"After many stops on which things did not go well, I'm at Heracles Almelo and I'm a real lucky man," he said.

"It's the perfect environment for me. Here I can form myself completely."