OFFICIAL: Watford sign Rey Manaj from Barcelona

Barcelona confirmed on Tuesday that striker Rey Manaj will join Championship side Watford. There is no fee mentioned in Barcelona’s statement but the club have confirmed “they reserve a right of first refusal and 50% of any future sale.”

✅️| OFFICIAL: Rey Manaj joins Watford with Barcelona reserving 50% rights of a future sale and also the first refusal. 🇦🇱

We wish him all the best! pic.twitter.com/XUmIFynTqR

— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) July 12, 2022

Manaj spent last season on loan at Italian side Spezia. But the club opted not to take up a purchase option in his contract, and he will now try his luck in England.

The striker joined Barca B in 2020 and impressed in his first full season with the team. He finished as the top scorer with 14 goals in 22 games.

Rey Manaj also featured for the first team in pre-season last summer and again caught the eye, netting a hat-trick against Nastic. But eventually he didn’t stay at Barca and ended up going out on loan.

The Albania international will now be hoping he can help Watford return to the Premier League at the first attempt following their relegation from the English top flight last season. It will be a nice test for the striker to play in England, a league he’s not familiar with.

Rey Manaj was never a prospect for the first team. Hopefully he will play well for Watford. And maybe the club will generate some cash from future sale.

Good luck at Watford, Rey Manaj!