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Reading FC's Matej Vydra To Return To Watford?

After attracting some pretty fierce criticism from some in the media, Matej Vydra's been offered an olive branch by his parent club.

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Matej Vydra has hardly set the world alight at Reading this season, but recent comments from Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores suggest that the Czech international could have a future in Hertfordshire after the summer. This was prompted by a second mini return to the Premier League club this season, with Vydra going back to Watford yesterday to have lunch with his teammates. The first time being for treatment on a hamstring injury in February.

As reported by WD Sport, Flores had this to say about Vydra's current progress in Berkshire...

"He isn't completely happy with his performance at Reading. He said he had scored nine goals and I said that's ok. But he shook his head and said: 'I was expecting more'. So it isn't totally happy but he has still scored some goals."

Evidently, Vydra is as aware of his poor form this season as the fans are. Having arrived on a £2.5m loan deal last summer deadline day, things looked bright for the forward - who'd only recently helped fire the Hornets to promotion. However, with Nick Blackman overshadowing him in the early part of the season, and him struggling to fit into Reading's style of play, we haven't at all seen the best of a quality player.

Speaking more specifically about Vydra's chances of returning to play for Watford next season, Flores said...

"The players know I am an honest and fair coach. I don't lie and I don't hide anything. If you're talking with a player face to face, after some time has passed, everything must be clear. My relationship with Vydra is really good.

If a player leaves on loan it is always open for them to come back into the team in the future. The club check during the season how these players manage in other teams, then we make a decision."

For me, this almost amounts to Flores encouraging Vydra coming back to Watford - stressing the positive relationship between player and manager, and that the door is 'always open'. For a quality team with very good forwards, and a player who's had a poor campaign, it's interesting to see Flores want to maintain those good relations.

The frustrating thing is that Matej Vydra does of course have undoubted talent. Indeed, out of all the other players I'd come across playing in the Championship for other teams, he'd caught my eye the most. So, with that in mind, should it really be any surprise that Flores isn't giving up on Vydra? Perhaps not.