Watford play hard ball

Watford owner Laurence Bassini insists the club will not sell any players on the cheap.

It is understood a bid from Newcastle for Adrian Mariappa was on Monday rejected out of hand having been well below the Championship club's valuation of the centre-back.

Speculation also continues to link top scorer Marvin Sordell with a move away from Vicarage Road.

But Bassini told Watford's official website: "We have our own priorities here at the club. I've talked previously about how I thought Watford was viewed as a soft touch by some. Well not any more.

"If people want to show serious interest in one of our players then, for me, that means the kind of offer that this club couldn't refuse.

"The value of a player, to us, goes beyond just a transfer fee. We invest time and money into developing all our players so we do not want to see that wasted."