Saudi Arabian club Al Shabab have confirmed the signing of Wes Hoedt, and appear to have immediately made him team captain.
In a post on their official club page on X/Twitter, they have said: “A new defender, another CAPTAIN, Wesley is BLACK & WHITE”.
A new defender, another CAPTAIN 🤩
— AlShabab Saudi Club (@AlShabab_EN) August 23, 2024
Wesley is BLACK & WHITE 🤍🖤 pic.twitter.com/YeyrUjAuf6
The 30-year-old Dutch international was the Hornets player of the season last term, and also picked up the goal of the season trophy for his long-range effort at Hull City.
Throughout the summer he was linked with moves away from Vicarage Road as, with a year left on his contract, Watford needed to either offer him a new one or risk losing him for nothing.
When rumours of a move to Turkey subsided and Hoedt played in pre-season, it seemed like he might stay.
The chances of that increased when he was injured in a friendly at Wycombe and limped off before half-time.
However, the interest from Saudi Arabia had started by then, and although Tom Cleverley said after last week’s game with Stoke he expected Hoedt to stay, he has instead followed former Watford head coach Slaven Bilic out to Saudi.
Hoedt joined Watford in the January 2023 transfer window from Anderlecht for a fee of around £1.5m.
His list of previous clubs included Southampton, Celta Vigo and Lazio, and he also had six full caps for the Netherlands.
From the Tulips 🌷
— AlShabab Saudi Club (@AlShabab_EN) August 23, 2024
To the Palms 🌴
Welcome Wesley Hoedt 🇳🇱
to the Kingdom of Palms 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/tacWweg00x
He made 15 appearances during the second half of the 22/23 season, quickly establishing himself of a fine passer of the ball with his left foot.
Last season, Hoedt played every minute of 48 league and cup games, missing only two due to a suspension for yellow cards amassed.
He took over the captaincy of the Hornets when Dan Bachmann was out of the side, and wore the captain’s armband on 32 occasions in all.
Never one to mince his words, Hoedt spoke of his disappointment at how last season went when he spoke to The Watford Observer in May.
Then he also talked of his determination to be part of a better campaign this time round, but instead he has now moved to play for the team that finished eighth in the Saudi league last season, one place and one point behind Bilic’s Al Fateh side.
