Former Bluebirds player Leandro Bacuna signs for Watford

Former Cardiff City player Leandro Bacuna has officially signed for Watford FC in a deal that lasts until the end of the 2022/23 season, after becoming a free agent ever since his contract came to an end over the summer.

The 31-year-old signed for the Bluebirds in January 2019, for a transfer fee believed to be around £3 million. He then went on to become a key player for the team in both the Premier League and Championship. However, when nearing the end of his time at the club, performances dropped meaning a place in the first team was out of sights.

In total, the midfielder made 114 appearences for the club, scoring 4 goals. His last match played for Cardiff came against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium last December, which ended in a 3-0 defeat. In that game, Bacuna received a red card after a reckless challenge on midfielder Philip Billing.

Leandro Bacuna training with the Watford team - Credit: Watford FC

Bacuna has been training with Slaven Bilic's team for a matter of weeks, and could be available for selection immediately ahead of Watford's match against Huddersfield Town on Saturday (December 17).

He has earned himself an impressive 44 caps for his international side Curacao, scoring 14 goals. His most recent game for them was in a friendly against Indonesia in September, as well as playing in three CONCACAF Nations League games in June.

Playing for his national team - Credit: goal.com

There has been a mixed bag of reactions to Bacuna signing for the Hornets, with one fan writing on the Watford Observer website: "Hasn't played for a long time then suddenly will be expected to do so in quick succession, sounds risky."

On the other hand, there have been much more positive outlooks. One comment read: "Experienced player and a way of strengthening now rather than be depleted till January. Hope it works out."