EFL Championship club Watford FC has announced the list of academy players who have signed professional contracts with the club. Among the 12 young talents is 17-year-old Latvian U19 international Marats Gaļajevs.
The attacking midfielder has spent his entire footballing journey at Watford’s academy. Last season, Gaļajevs was a regular for the club’s U18 side in the U18 Professional Development League, showcasing his potential in midfield.
Gaļajevs is one of 12 academy players to sign a professional deal, a group that also includes Kristian Shevchenko, the son of legendary Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko. Marats has signed a two-year contract with the option to extend for a further year.
The talented youngster is also a regular for Latvia’s youth national teams. He made his debut for the Latvia U19 team last September at the age of 16 and has already earned nine caps at that level.
Source: https://www.watfordfc.com/news/2025/july/22/academy-new-pro-contracts-signed
