Tony Watt has opened up about his summer departure from Dundee United and the moment he knew ‘something wasn’t right’.
Watt left Tannadice in August to move on loan to Motherwell despite being a pivotal part of United’s Championship title success.
The striker scored 13 goals in 36 league appearances last season while also providing an impressive nine assists for Jim Goodwin’s men.
He previously spent time out on loan with St Mirren before revitalising his career at Tannadice with an impressive 2023/24 campaign.
But during the summer, it became apparent that Goodwin did not want Watt to be a part of his Premiership plans for this season.
Watt has now explained on Open Goal how his loan to Motherwell came about and ‘surprising’ nature of his Dundee United exit.
Tony Watt on summer Dundee United loan exit
He said: “I’m just surprised how it was handled. I spoke to Jim Goodwin at the end of last season and he was going to speak to people in the summer.
“And I said to him at the end of season awards, ‘do I need to speak to you over the summer?’ And he went ‘no’.
“We got a new head of recruitment and whatever and then we came back and the first couple of weeks, I thought I was going to be in about it.
“The manager speaks to us and says ‘everybody’s got to get minutes’ but they had told (Liam) Grimshaw that he had to go. But he was getting on (the pitch) before me and I’m saying, ‘what’s going on here? Something isn’t right’.
“And I knew. I just wish it was handled a bit better but look, we had a good time last year and I cannot complain. I’ve ended up back at Motherwell and I can’t complain.”
Watt on returning to Motherwell
Watt initially played for the Steelmen between 2020 and 2022 and signed a pre-contract deal with Dundee United in December 2021.
The clubs then agreed a fee for Watt to move to Tannadice immediately and it left a sour taste in the mouths of the Motherwell fans.
But he now insists he had to move. Watt said: “I had to go to Dundee United. It’s a short career. Motherwell never blew my socks off with an offer.
“They’d gave me an offer after Dundee United and I thought, ‘I cannot turn this down for my family’. I had to go and I think the Motherwell fans now understand that because they’ve been really good with me.
“I want to be at a stage in my life in the future where I’m comfortable, happy and my kids can have a good life and Dundee United gave me an offer where it helped.”