Gomes Makes Retirement U-Turn With New Watford Deal

By Max Wise

Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes has rescinded his decision to retire from football with a new one-year deal at the Premier League side.

Gomes previously indicated that last season was going to be his last as a professional but has been convinced by Watford manager Javi Gracia to commit to a new deal at Vicarage Road.

The 38-year-old failed to make a single appearance in the Premier League last season with all his eight appearances coming in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Ben Foster is the undisputed number one at Watford but Gomes was still an ever-present between the sticks in the FA Cup as the Hornets made it all the way to the final before losing 6-0 to Manchester City.

“The feeling was more to retire – I had my stuff packed! But the atmosphere that we created around the group is something special,” Gomes told the club's website.

“I feel as excited as I did when I signed my first contract here.

“I’m not going to say that this is my last year because you never know – I said that last season and I didn’t do it.

“This started in 2014 and now I don’t know when it will end. I believe we still have so many things to share together.”

Gomes, who has won 11 caps for the Brazil national team, joined Watford, who were then a championship side, from Tottenham Hotspurs in the summer of 2014 and helped them gain promotion to the Premier League a year later.

A statement said: "Heurelho Gomes has extended his stay with the Hornets by a further year after agreeing terms on a new contract at Vicarage Road.

"The Brazilian goalkeeper, whose previous deal was set to expire this month, has signed a fresh 12-month contract and will now enter his sixth season on Watford’s books.

"Since arriving from Tottenham five years ago, the 38-year-old has kept goal 156 times, playing a key part as the Hornets achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2014/15 and picking up the Player of the Season trophy after the club’s first year back in the top-flight.

"He was also named Players’ Player of the Season in both 2015/16 and 2016/17 and featured throughout Watford’s historic run to the FA Cup final last term."

Gomes has previously spent time in Holland with PSV Eindhoven where he won four Eredevisie titles between 2004 and 2008.