Watford put five up for sale

Watford midfielder Allan Nielsen insists he will sit out the rest of his contract despite being placed on the transfer list by manager Gianluca Vialli.

Nielsen is Watford's record signing having cost £2.25million from Spurs 18 months ago and has been put up for sale along with Espen Baardsen, Marcus Gayle, Pierre Issa and Ramon Vega.

An ankle injury has limited the Danish international to just 15 appearances this season but Nielsen said today: "I've settled at Watford and therefore I will be here until the summer of 2003.

"I've accepted the management's decision but I hope they notice that I do not want to leave."

Goalkeeper Baardsen cost £1.25million from Tottenham, Gayle signed from Rangers in August, Issa has just returned from playing for South Africa in the African Nations Cup and Vega joined the club on a free transfer from Celtic in the summer.

Vialli said: "I feel things are not progressing as they should and it is better to act straight away.

"While we're making them available for transfer, this doesn't necessarily mean the end of their careers at Vicarage Road."