Watford let defender return to Brazil on a free transfer.
Kayky Almeida, a young Brazilian defender, has gone home on a free transfer after less than six months. The 19-year-old signed a five-year contract with the club after joining from Fluminense for €1 million in the summer. Despite his youthful age and lack of senior experience, he was assigned squad number 13 on the senior list. However, Almeida has only made a few appearances for the Under-21s, and his debut came on a particularly forgettable occasion when the young Hornets were thrashed 8-2 against Sheffield United.
Almeida did score his first goal for Watford in a recent Premier League Cup defeat to Cardiff City. He has recently returned to Fluminense on a free transfer and is likely to resume playing for their Under-20 side. According to his agent, all parties agreed that Almeida had not settled in England and that returning to Brazil would be the best way to advance his career. Prior to joining Watford, the teenager has only played one minute of professional football for Fluminense, in a cup game in January 2024. His playing experience has been with the Brazilian Under-20 team, where he made 26 appearances and scored three goals in the last two seasons.
In recent seasons, there has been something of a conveyor belt between Fluminense and Watford, and the Hornets have benefited greatly from these transfers. Richarlison made the decision in 2017, and Joao Pedro followed suit three years later. Both went on to earn lucrative moves to Premier League clubs. Last season, the Hornets had winger Matheus Martins on loan from sister club Udinese, after signing him from Fluminense. “Almeida is a player I’ve not seen as much of,” remarked head coach Tom Cleverley when the defender joined Watford in the summer.
“He’s probably more of a project, and someone I don’t see us using in the near future. “I wouldn’t be doing the lad justice if I was to throw him in.”
Read more on sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply