Hornets sign Norwegian international keeper from Udinese
Watford have completed the signing of goalkeeper Egil Selvik from Udinese.
The Watford Observer understands the 27-year-old Norwegian international has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Vicarage Road.
It is anticipated official confirmation of Selvik as the club's first permanent signing of the transfer window will come tomorrow.
Remarkably, Selvik only joined the Italian side on January 10 from Haugesund on a free transfer, and has not kicked a ball for them.
In 2022, Watford signed striker Vakoun Bayo just a day after he had left KAA Gent and joined Charleroi.
Selvik has played all his club football in his home country, beginning his career with Norwegian Division Two side Sandnes Ulf, where he made three senior appearances.
He spent a year on loan at Division One outfit Nest-Sotra in 2018, where he played 32 times.
He left Sandnes in February 2019, and joined Division One side Odd, playing most of his first season in their reserves.
Selvik made his league debut the following season before he moved to Haugesund – who play in the Eliteserien, Norway’s top league - at the start of 2021, and was immediately their first-choice keeper, playing all 29 of their 30 league games.
He played all 30 in the following season and missed only one game in 2023, captaining the team twice.
In the 2024 season, Selvik was the permanent team captain as Haugesund finished 14th in the league and had to face a relegation play-off.
The keeper kept clean sheets in both games as they drew 0-0 away to Moss and then won the second leg 2-0 at home to retain their top-tier place.
He had played 120 senior games for Haugesund before his move to Udinese just over a fortnight ago.
Having been called into the Norway squad initially in 2022, Selvik made his debut in a 6-0 friendly win over Jordan in July 2023.
He made his competitive debut in a 3-3 draw against Scotland in a Euro 2024 qualifier in November 2023, a game in which Ryan Porteous was an unused sub.
The keeper has started both of Norway’s last two games, keeping a clean sheet in a 5-0 Nations League B win over Kazakhstan and helping secure a 4-1 win away in Slovenia.
Selvik now has four full international caps to his name.
