Watford sign Canada midfielder Kone from Montreal

LONDON : Canada's World Cup midfielder Ismael Kone has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Watford, the English Championship (second tier) side said on Monday.

The 20-year-old Ivory Coast-born player joins for an undisclosed fee on Jan. 1 from MLS Eastern Conference side Montreal.

Kone featured in all of Canada's World Cup Group F matches against Belgium, Croatia and Morocco as a substitute and has nine international caps.

Canada qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time in 36 years but left Qatar with three straight defeats.

Watford are fourth in the Championship.