Latest news with #EgilSelvik
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New keeper makes Bachmann departure even more likely
The arrival of Nathan Baxter will almost certainly see the departure of fellow goalkeeper Dan Bachmann. Despite some confusion among fans, first-choice keeper Egil Selvik is going nowhere this summer: the Norwegian international signed a three-and-a-half year contract in January when he moved from Udinese. Advertisement That takes him through to the end of the 2027/28 season, and the club have the option to extend that by a further year. 'During the winter my contract ran out with my former club, so I was going to move,' he explained in an interview with The Watford Observer in March. 'I talked with a lot of clubs, both here in the Championship and in other places in Europe. 'Udinese came to me quite late actually, but we had good talks and they told me about the situation they have where they co-operate with Watford. 'They said there might be a possibility for me at Watford as well, it just came a bit earlier than I expected. Advertisement 'When Gian Luca Nani called me to ask about it I could have said no, but it was my decision. 'I felt good about Watford and it felt like a nice move.' Selvik's arrival in January certainly made the Hornets stronger at the back - the 27-year-old kept six clean sheets in 16 games during the second half of the season, and has firmly established himself as the man in possession of the shirt. While much attention, and indeed angst, was focussed on the club not giving Tom Cleverley an extra striker or another midfielder in the winter transfer window, they certainly provided him with a very good keeper. Advertisement And now Baxter's arrival yesterday means Watford have three senior stoppers on their books, and so the departure of Bachmann seems the anticipated solution to having one of that trio watching each game from the stands. The Hornets also have Alfie Marriott, who sat on the bench 10 times last season, and Myles Roberts – he had an impressive 21-game loan spell with Partick Thistle before spending the second half of the season at Bristol Rovers without making an appearance. Then there are the likes of Jonathan Macaulay, Gabriel Ortelli and Roraigh Browne who shared Under-21 duties last season. Bachmann, who will turn 31 next month, made 22 appearances last season but had clearly lost the trust of a lot of fans. Advertisement He signed a new five-year contract in July 2023 and was named as captain by the then head coach Valerien Ismael. His most recent appearance for the Hornets was on January 4 in the 2-1 home defeat to Sheffield United, and that could well turn out to be his last as the Austrian will understandably want to play first-team football.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Goalkeeper seems set to be second signing of the summer
Goalkeeper Nathan Baxter looks set to follow Hector Kyprianou through the door at London Colney as Watford continue to do early summer business. The 26-year-old's contract with the League One side ends on June 30, and manager Steven Schumacher has chosen to release him. Should the deal be completed, it will almost certainly mean some goalkeeping exits from Vicarage Road. January signing Egil Selvik established himself as first choice during the second half of the season, and if Baxter arrives then it seems likely Dan Bachmann will be looking for a move. The Austrian international signed a five-year contract two years ago, but at 30 he will want first-team football. In the final few games of last season Alfie Marriott, 21, sat on the bench for the first team when Bachmann was injured, and the Hornets also have 23-year-old Myles Roberts who had a highly-successful loan spell with Partick Thistle last season before being recalled and sent out to Bristol Rovers in January, where he didn't play a single minute. There are also three keepers in the current Under-21 squad: England Under-18 international Jonathan Macaulay, Gabriel Ortelli – who made his debut for Cyprus Under-21s this season – and Roraigh Browne. Likely new man Baxter has been at the Trotters since the summer of 2023, departing Chelsea after 17 long years, and arrived at the Toughsheet Community Stadium to be Ian Evatt's first-choice goalkeeper. He was ever-present in League One when fit in his debut year at Wanderers as they lost out in the play-off final to Oxford United, but it has been more of a mixed campaign in 2024-25, having been dropped by Evatt towards the end of his time in charge of the club, and under Steven Schumacher he only got back into the starting 11 in March. Born in central London, Baxter playing football with non-league side Cray Wanderers but, by the age of eight, he had joined Chelsea and progressed through their Academy ranks. An FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League winner in 2015/16, Baxter began to gain senior playing experience through a series of loan moves. Spells with Metropolitan Police and Solihull Moors preceded a season with Woking where he made 48 appearances. He spent the 2018/19 campaign with Yeovil Town, where during his 38 appearances he set a new club record by keeping six consecutive clean sheets – Baxter didn't concede a goal for more than 10 hours. At the end of his time with Yeovil he won five club awards, including Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season. Loans at Ross County and Accrington Stanley followed, before Baxter spent two seasons on loan with Hull City, chalking up 30 senior appearances. In June 2023, Chelsea announced Baxter would be leaving when his contract expired, and he signed for Bolton, with reports at the time suggesting he turned down a move to Maccabi Haifa.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watford sell keeper Bond to Houston Dynamo
Watford goalkeeper Jonathan Bond has joined Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo for an undisclosed fee. The 31-year-old joined the Hornets for a second spell from LA Galaxy last summer and made 13 appearances this season, keeping three clean sheets. Advertisement His final appearance came in a 1-0 home defeat by Norwich City on 1 February, since when transfer-window signing Egil Selvik has been their first-choice. Bond began his career at Vicarage Road, playing 33 games before moving on to Reading and West Bromwich Albion and then heading to Los Angeles in January 2021. The deal with Houston has been agreed before the MLS primary transfer window closes on 23 April. "Jonathan is an experienced goalkeeper who is comfortable playing out of the back, commands his penalty area and wins games with his shot stopping ability," said the club's president of soccer Pat Onstad. "With over 200 games in his career, including three seasons in Major League Soccer, he gives us another valuable option at the goalkeeper position."
BBC News
11-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Watford sell keeper Bond to Houston Dynamo
Watford goalkeeper Jonathan Bond has joined Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo for an undisclosed 31-year-old joined the Hornets for a second spell from LA Galaxy last summer and made 13 appearances this season, keeping three clean final appearance came in a 1-0 home defeat by Norwich City on 1 February, since when transfer-window signing Egil Selvik has been their began his career at Vicarage Road, playing 33 games before moving on to Reading and West Bromwich Albion and then heading to Los Angeles in January deal with Houston has been agreed before the MLS primary transfer window closes on 23 April."Jonathan is an experienced goalkeeper who is comfortable playing out of the back, commands his penalty area and wins games with his shot stopping ability," said the club's president of soccer Pat Onstad. "With over 200 games in his career, including three seasons in Major League Soccer, he gives us another valuable option at the goalkeeper position."
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What did you make of Hornets' transfer business?
It's time to talk about Watford's transfer business... Watford signed 28-year-old Norway international goalkeeper Egil Selvik from Italian 'sister club' Udinese for an undisclosed fee, brought in 20-year-old American left-back Caleb Wiley on loan from Chelsea and defender James Abankwah on loan from Udinese. However, they lost midfielder Festy Ebosele after he was recalled from loan by the same Italian club, Ryan Porteous has joined Preston on loan and Ken Sema has been released. With Tom Cleverley seemingly under pressure and a host of injuries to deal with, particularly in attack, will Watford keep pace in the race for the play-off places? We want you to tell us what you think about the Hornets' transfer dealings... Let us know your thoughts here.
