After Chelsea’s work in the January transfer effort, it seems we’ll have to get more accustomed to strange contracts from here on in and when it comes to Watford and Rey Manaj, that may be the case.
The former Barcelona striker was released by the Hornets at the beginning of this month, despite having only arrived on a three-year deal last summer.
On the face of it that should be that in terms of his time at Watford but, according to Mundo Deportivo, that is not the case.
The newspaper provides the ‘real reason’ behind his termination, explaining that it is not as simple as his contract being terminated.
According to their information Manaj has instead decided to ‘put a temporary end’ to his contract at Vicarage Road as it ‘benefitted both parties’.
He is now free to sign with a club until June, while Watford have been given another space in their squad to sign a replacement until June as well, as long as they can get a free agent. The two parties have confirmed this to the newspaper.
That decision was made when club and player sat down to study ‘what was best’ for them both, a meeting that concluded with them deciding on the termination of his deal.
Thus, Manaj is free to join any club he likes until June but if he doesn’t do so, which is a possibility as he is set to be out injured until March, he will return to Watford, and they’ll honour the two years remaining on his deal.
To be clear, Mundo state that ‘the player will remain a Watford asset’ whatever happens, which seems a little odd to us.
Indeed, this whole article is full of very questionable claims so we’ll have to take it with a huge pinch of salt for the time being.
For now, at least, Manaj appears to be a free agent and it remains to be seen if he can secure a move elsewhere or ends up back at Watford in the summer.
