Midfielder set to sign three year contract
Huddersfield Town is today set to sign Jonathan Hogg from Watford for an undisclosed fee.
The central midfielder will put pen to paper on a three year contract, with the Club having an option on a further year’s extension, pending a medical this evening.
Jonathan, 24, has played over 100 games in the top two flights of English football; 41 of which came for the Hornets last season as he was almost ever present as they reached the Championship Play-Off Final.
Huddersfield Town Manager Mark Robins is delighted to welcome Jonathan to the Club:
“Jonathan’s arrival is an important one and we’re delighted we’ve been able to bring him in ahead of the start of the 2013/14 Championship season. Jonathan is a northern lad and when we learned he was looking to move nearer home, we acted very quickly to secure his signature. I know Watford were very reluctant to see him leave after he was so key to them last year.
“He is a different kind of midfield player to the ones we have at the Club. We have a lot of talented ball players here, but Jonathan has an abundance of energy and can do everything you want from an all-round midfield player. He will complement what we have, allowing us to get more from them too. He improves our strength in the middle of the park, both going forward and defensively.
“He already has plenty of knowledge and experience at this level having played over a century of games in successful teams; despite his age he is a leader out on the pitch. However, the most exciting aspect is that, at just 24 years old, he still has plenty of room to develop even further.”
Jonathan started his career at hometown club Middlesbrough before moving to Premier League Aston Villa as a youth team player. His first taste of senior football came through a loan spell at League 2 Darlington in the 2009/10 season, where he made five appearances.
His Villa debut followed in August 2010, coming in a Europa League qualifying draw at Rapid Vienna. He made his Premier League debut two months later against Manchester United and soon signed a contract extension with the Club until 2013.
Jonathan supplemented his first team experience with another loan spell, this time at Championship side Portsmouth during the second half of the 2010/11 season.
After 19 League starts with Pompey, Jonathan moved permanently to Championship club Watford in the summer of 2011 for a reported £400,000. After making 41 appearances in his debut season with the Hornets, he came fourth in the Club’s ‘Player of the Year’ category. Another 43 appearances followed last season as Watford reached the brink of promotion to the Premier League, only to fall at the final hurdle in the Play-Off Final at Wembley. Hogg featured strongly in the Play-Off campaign, setting up the last-gasp winner which took Watford to Wembley.
Jonathan's first interview as a Huddersfield Town player will be on htafc.com shortly!
