Gray joins Watford in club-record move

LONDON: Striker Andre Gray has joined Watford from Premier League rivals Burnley for an undisclosed club-record fee, his new club announced on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Englishman has signed a five-year contract and is reported to have cost Watford around £18.5 million ($24.1 million, 20.5 million euros).

“Watford FC is delighted to announce the signing of striker Andre Gray for a club-record transfer fee,” Watford said in a statement on their website.

Watford announced the transfer via a video on their Twitter page styled as a sequence from the video game Football Manager.

Gray appeared at the end of the clip and said: “Hello, my name is Andre Gray. I am delighted to have joined Watford and cannot wait to get going.”

Gray joined Burnley from Brentford in a £9 million move in 2015 and scored 33 goals over two seasons at Turf Moor, including nine in the Premier League last season.

The pacy frontman scored 23 goals in the previous campaign when Burnley were promoted from the Championship.

On Tuesday, Watford completed the signing of Brazilian forward Richarlison from Fluminense for a reported fee of £13 million.

Gray and Richarlison follow Nathaniel Chalobah, Kiko Femenia, Will Hughes and Daniel Bachmann in arriving at Vicarage Road, while Tom Cleverley’s loan move from Everton has been made permanent.

Marco Silva’s side begin their Premier League campaign at home to Liverpool on Saturday. - AFP