Ben Foster is set to be disciplined by West Bromwich Albion after refusing to join the club at their pre-season training camp in Portugal.

The keeper, along with defender Craig Dawson, has remained in England as speculation continues to circulate about their futures.

Watford have been linked with a move to bring Foster, who spent two seasons on loan at Vicarage Road, back to the club, with a fee in the region of £10 million being touted as enough to convince the Baggies to sell.

Those in charge of the purse strings at Watford are likely to view that figure as too steep for a player who is 35 and in the final year of his contract.

Reports claim the Hornets have filed a £1m offer, which was quickly rejected by West Brom.

Foster is understood to be frustrated by West Brom’s stubborn stance on his valuation, which could well price him out a move back to the Premier League.

The Baggies flew out of the country on Tuesday for the six day training camp, ahead of which both Foster and Dawson informed senior officials at the Hawthorns they did not wish to join. They are now expected to be fined.

In Foster, West Brom are understandably keen to hold onto one of their main assets as they look for an immediate return to the top flight, after finishing bottom of the Premier League last season.

Watford meanwhile are eager to add reinforcements in goal on the back of a campaign in which they chopped and changed number one.

Heurelho Gomes – so long the undisputed first choice at the Vic – lost his place the Orestis Karnezis in January and only returned the fold on the final day of the season.

With the Greek stopper now back at Udinese after his loan and Gomes reaching the end of his career at 37, the need to freshen up between the sticks is a pressing one.

Gomes is out of contract in the summer of 2019, but his experience and the respect he carries in the changing room means it could be wise to keep him at the club in a supporting role at least.

Watford fans will need no introduction to Foster and he was a standout performer while on loan from Manchester United between 2005 and 2007.

He helped the Hornets gain promotion to the Premier League in the 2005/06 campaign before being named the club’s Player of the Season the following year.

The Watford Observer understands that Foster and his family are settled in the midlands, but a return to the Hornets would appeal to the former England international.