Watford striker Matej Vydra will join Championship side Reading on a season-long loan with the Royals paying a £2.5 million loan fee.

The 23-year-old’s departure from Vicarage Road was expected after Quique Sanchez Flores failed to use the Czech Republic international in any of the Hornets’ four opening Premier League games.

Vydra's only appearance for Watford this season came in the Capital One Cup defeat to Preston North End last Tuesday.

A host of Championship clubs were vying to sign the striker on deadline day but Reading were willing to pay the most to acquire Vydra’s services for the season.

There have been reports Reading have the option to buy Vydra at the end of the loan but these are currently unconfirmed.

After two successful loan spells from Udinese Vydra joined Watford permanently this summer and signed a five-year deal with the Hornets.

However, a problem soon arose. Golden Boys head coach Quique Sanchez Flores adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation. It’s a system that doesn’t suit Vydra.

He featured during pre-season but when the Hornets’ Premier League campaign began at Everton he watched on from the bench.

It was a similar story a week later against West Bromwich Albion before Vydra was left out of the match-day squad for the 0-0 draw at Southampton on August 22.

Three days later Vydra started at Preston as a lone striker but struggled. It’s not a role he is suited to playing and he was ineffective.

Vydra returned to the match-day squad for Saturday’s defeat at Manchester City but again he was an unused substitute.



