EMERY GIVES 28-YEAR-OLD GREEN LIGHT TO LEAVE
Aston Villa have made defender Kortney Hause available for a transfer as Unai Emery continues to clear Villa Park of any deadwood in his first summer market as manager.
That is according to The Guardian, which reports that Hause is free to leave Aston Villa after another disappointing season. The 28-year-old returned to Birmingham in February due to a knee injury sustained following a mere three appearances on loan with Watford last season.
Steven Gerrard had sanctioned a move to Vicarage Road for Hause in August despite losing Diego Carlos to an injury. He quickly established a place under Rob Edwards in Hertfordshire, as well. But Hause would develop the injury that effectively ended his campaign in October.
Aston Villa have made Hause available for a transfer
Slaven Bilic only named Hause on the bench for two Championship games after he replaced Edwards at Watford in October. While Chris Wilder could not call on the centre-back once he took charge this March. Watford had already sent Hause back to Aston Villa during February.
Hause remained registered to Watford until the end of the 2022/23 season. But Bilic had left the Redbridge-born enforcer out of the Hornet’s team for the second half of the second-tier season. Though Watford continued to pay a contribution to Hause’s salary, per The Athletic.
Emery will not stop Hause from exploring a move away
His injury and failure to stay in Watford’s squad mean Hause has not played any competitive minutes since September. He also only started twice over three outings under Edwards with the Hornets. So, Aston Villa have now made Hause available for a permanent transfer away.
The former England U21 prospect remains under contract at Villa Park until June 2025. But Emery does not expect to afford Hause a role and has given the defender the green light to pursue a future elsewhere. Much like Keinan Davis, who is also now available for a transfer.
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FIFA rules in favour of Nigeria’s Megamu Academy in battle with Watford over Super Eagles star
English Championship side Watford FC have been hit with an international transfer ban by FIFA following their failure to pay solidarity compensation to Samuel Kalu’s former training club, Megamu Football Academy, Soccernet.ng reports.
Samuel Kalu joined Watford from French side Girondins Bordeaux in January 2022. As part of the transfer process, Megamu Academy approached Watford for their due solidarity compensation entitlements.
However, the London club did not comply with the request, prompting Megamu Academy to escalate the matter to FIFA.
FIFA, the world football governing body, ruled in favour of Megamu Football Academy and ordered Watford to pay the Nigerian club within 45 days.
Unfortunately, the Championship side failed to meet this deadline, leading Megamu Football Academy Club, represented by their attorneys, Activity Chambers, to request the implementation of a transfer ban on Watford.
FIFA duly obliged and imposed the ban from registering new players internationally, effective from 19 July 2023.
The letter notifying Watford of the ban was signed by FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s Head of Judicial Bodies (Adjudicatory), Julien Deux, and was also copied to the English FA.
In addition to the international transfer ban, FIFA requested the Football Association to enforce a ban on registering new players at the national level for Watford.
However, according to reports from the Watford Observer, the club is confident that the issue is an administrative matter that is close to being resolved. However, until the matter is resolved and the required payments are made to Megamu Academy, the ban will remain in effect.
Before the FIFA ban, Watford had already sanctioned the departures of William Troost-Ekong to PAOK Salonika, João Pedro to Brighton, and Joseph Hungbo to FC Nuremberg.
On the other hand, the Hornets have made some acquisitions, welcoming Rhys Healey and Jake Livermore on free transfers.
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