Watford ready for players' stampede towards exit

Watford are preparing for a mass exodus of their leading players in the summer. Heidar Helguson, Gavin Mahon, Danny Webber, Bruce Dyer, Neil Cox and Brynjar Gunnarsson are poised to leave the club at the end of the season even if the club avoid relegation.

Watford know they have to sell their star names to bring in much-needed funds and further reduce a wage bill which, at less than £3million a year, is already one of the lowest in the Championship.

Although the club banked over £1m from their run to the Carling Cup semi-finals and will receive another £1.2m from Elton John's concert at Vicarage Road in June, they still have sizeable debts, including the £7.6m needed to pay off a loan which enabled them to buy back the ground in August.

New manager Adrian Boothroyd secured his first win against relegated Rotherham on Saturday to ease Watford's worries but he could soon have a painfully thin and inexperienced squad.

Marcus Gayle, Scott Fitzgerald and Neal Ardley were sold last month and Webber has signed a pre-contract with Sheffield United. He is expected to join for £500,000 in the summer.

They will be followed by leading scorer and the club's prize asset Helguson, who has a year left on his contract. Charlton and West Ham have expressed an interest in the 27-year-old Icelandic international, who has scored 18 goals this season. Mahon signed a two-year deal earlier this season but has attracted interest from other Championship clubs.