Name: Matej Vydra
Date of Birth: 01/05/1992
Previous clubs: FC Vysocina; Banik Ostrava; Udinese; Club Brugge (L); Watford (L); West Brom (L), Watford (L), Watford; Reading (L).
Appearances (goals): 190 (54)
It hasn`t been smooth sailing for club record signing Matej Vydra since his move to Derby from Watford last summer for a reported £8million fee, with the Czech Republic international striker making just 16 starts this season, netting four goals in the Championship as the Rams sit nine points off the play-offs.
Two of his goals were however scored in his last three league outings, the latest coming in the 2-2 draw away at local rivals Nottingham Forest in what was new manager Gary Rowett`s first game at the helm.
Vydra was dealt a blow last week after he failed to make the final squad for his national side`s recent international fixtures, so will have a point to prove between now and the end of the season, but his early return to the Rams will have given Rowett more time to work with the forward ahead of the visit of QPR.
Having began his career in his native country with FC Vysocina and Banik Ostrava, he moved to Serie A side Udinese in June 2010 at the age of 18, where he made two cameo appearances for the club at the end of his first season in Italy, coming off the bench in defeats at home to Roma and away to Fiorentina.
The majority of his time at the Italian club was spent out on loan, firstly at Belgian side Club Brugge, before his most successful season infront of goal to date, as he moved to Watford ahead of the 2012/2013 campaign, giving him his first taste of English football, where he has remained since.
20 goals that term helped the Hornets make it to the Championship play-offs, in which he bagged a brace in the club`s second leg semi-final against Leicester to fire the side to Wembley, only to go down to a Kevin Phillips penalty as Watford were seen off 1-0 by Ian Holloway`s Crystal Palace in Northwest London.
His form for Watford that season saw him named Championship Player of the Year, seeing off competition from the likes of Palace striker Glenn Murray, who finished as the division`s top scorer.
Vydra himself would find himself playing in the Premier League the following year, as he joined West Brom on a season-long loan, but the step up in quality proved difficult in what was a frustrating campaign, as he scored three goals in 23 top-flight games for the Baggies, 16 of those from the bench.
A return to Watford and more success infront of goal came during the 2014/2015 campaign, as he made another temporary move away from Udinese, and this time after netting 16 league goals for the Hertfordshire club, the season ended in promotion to the Premier League, as Watford finished in second.
That prompted a permanent move to Vicarage Road ahead of last season, but after making just one appearance in the Capital Cup at the beginning of the campaign, he spent the entirety of the season back in the second tier, as he moved on loan to Reading, where he netted nine goals in all competitions.
With club captain Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo ahead of him in the striking department at Watford, Walter Mazzari`s men deemed Derby`s bid for Vydra too good to turn down back in August, as he moved back down to the Championship with the Midlands club, where he was handed a four-year deal.
Share this article
Related Articles
