Rochdale's Kwadwo Baah signs five-year deal with Watford

Kwadwo Baah with his award

Rochdale’s Kwadwo Baah has signed a five-year contract with newly-promoted Watford for an undisclosed six-figure fee.

Baah joined Dale as a 16-year-old scholar in September 2019, making his first-team debut in October 2019.

He scored his first goal for the club in December 2020, during a 5-0 win at Wigan Athletic, and signed an 18-month professional contract in February 2020 after his 17th birthday.
 

Read more: Football: Wigan 0 - 5 RochdalePublished: 16 December 2020

He won the EFL Young Player of the Month award in January of this year, before earning his first call-up to the England Under-18s squad in March, making his debut in victory against Wales.
 

Read more: Matty Lund and Kwadwo Baah win Player of the Month and Young Player of the Month awards for JanuaryPublished: 12 February 2021

In total, he made 44 appearances for Dale, scoring three goals.

Baah would have been out of contract with Rochdale this summer and had he left Rochdale as a free agent to go to another club then Dale would have been due a compensation payment.

In their statement announcing the transfer, the club said that he had been offered an improved deal to stay at the Crown Oil Arena, and that the undisclosed fee agreed with Watford is higher than the fee Dale expected to be due in compensation.

Watford finished this season second in the Championship so will be back in the Premier League next season.