Netherlands international defender Wesley Hoedt has joined Watford FC from Belgian giants Anderlecht for an undisclosed fee, the club is delighted to confirm.
The 28-year-old - who has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Hornets, until the summer of 2025 - arrives at Vicarage Road boasting a wealth of experience in England and on the continent, having initially come through the academy ranks at boyhood club AZ Alkmaar in his home country.
With 30 appearances for the two-time Dutch champions to his name, Hoedt embarked on the first of two spells at Italian heavyweights Lazio in 2015, before leaving for Premier League side Southampton in a multi-million-pound deal in August 2017.
Hoedt’s first season on the English south coast saw him feature 32 times in all competitions, scoring once as the Saints preserved their top-flight status and reached the Emirates FA Cup semi-finals, ahead of a loan move to La Liga club Celta Vigo midway through the following campaign.
After spending the next two seasons away from St Mary’s, with Royal Antwerp in Belgium and back at Lazio respectively, Hoedt left Southampton permanently for Anderlecht in June 2021.
In a year-and-a-half with the Brussels-based side he scored four goals in 73 appearances, including featuring six times in the group-stage of this season’s UEFA Europa Conference League competition.
Internationally, Hoedt won the last of his six Oranje caps in a World Cup qualifier at home to Bulgaria in September 2017, having risen through the age-groups to make his senior debut against the same opponents earlier that year.
Welcome to Watford, Wesley!
