ALCORCON, MADRID - JANUARY 18: Kiko Femenia (L) of Deportivo Alaves competes for the ball with Daniel Toribio (R) of Agrupacion Deportivo Alcorcon during the Copa del Rey quarter-final match between Agrupacion Deportivo Alcorcon and Deportivo Alaves at Santo Domingo stadium on January 18, 2017 in Alcorcon, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
Watford secure signing of Spanish defender Kiko Femenia
Watford Football Club have secured the signature of Spanish right back Kiko Femenia, making him the club’s third signing this summer.
The 26-year-old defender joins the club as a free agent having recently left La Liga side Alaves, whom he has spent the previous two seasons with.
He is said to have agreed to a four-year contract with Marco Silva’s side and joins Tom Cleverley and Will Hughes as the newest additions at Vicarage Road.
During his two seasons at Estadio Mendizorrotza, Femenia featured 77 times in the league and helped the Basque club secure the Segunda Division title in the 2015/16 season.
During his spell in the second tier, Femenia also added five goals to help his team claim the title by a single point.
Last season, Femenia played in 31 top-tier league matches in Spain and was a consistent performer on the right side of the defence.
He registered 1.6 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per game, whilst also picking up two total assists, one of which led to his club picking up a 2-1 victory over Villarreal in their return to La Liga.
Femenia’s career has taken him to many clubs, originally starting out as a youth prospect for Hercules.
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After making 71 league appearances during his three-year spell in the Hercules first team, Femenia moved to Barcelona B, making 63 league appearances and scoring six goals in the Spanish second tier.
His regular appearances for the Barcelona reserve team saw him have brief spells with Real Madrid B and Alcorcon before finally settling at Alaves.
The 26-year-old Spaniard has also represented his country at Under-18, 19 and 20 level between 2009 and 2011.
Femenia now makes his first venture outside of Spain but looks set to take up the starting position under the tutelage of the Portuguese Silva, who recently joined from Hull City.
Watford had a difficult end to the 2016/17 Premier League season, losing six consecutive matches and conceding 68 goals across the whole campaign – 15 more than relegated side Middlesbrough.
The Watford team needs upgrades in defence if they hope to retain their top-tier status by the end of next season and the signing of Kiko Femenia is the first step to achieving this.
