Kane Crichlow is refusing to give up on his professional dream in the wake of his release by Watford.

The 21-year-old, who made a solitary appearance for the first team, coming on as a late substitute in a 3-1 defeat away to Newport County in a Carabao Cup game in 2020, was one of 19 under-23 players who have not been retained by the club after relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

However, despite the disappointment, the Bermuda forward — who has already received a number of offers from clubs overseas — remains optimistic about his future, as he ponders his next move during the close season.

“I’m definitely not giving up on that dream,” Crichlow said. “The focus at the moment is looking for a new club.

“I found out that I was going to be leaving the club around March time. My agent spoke to me first and then Watford spoke to me in person about it.

“I’m in England at the moment and just trying to work out what is best for me in taking that next step.”

While his preference would be to remain in England, Crichlow admitted he would consider any offer presented to him and is open to playing farther afield in Europe if necessary to reignite his career.

“Preferably I’d like to keep playing in England but I’m pretty open-minded about any offer really,” he added. “If I have to leave to play in a different country, somewhere in Europe, then I’d consider it for sure.

“I’m also not against dropping down the down into a lower level in England. If I have to take a step down first to then work my way back up, so be it. I’m confident I could handle that well and prove myself at any level.”

Reflecting on his time with Watford, Crichlow conceded he endured mixed fortunes at Vicarage Road after signing from AFC Wimbledon in 2019. Having broken into the senior squad his progression was curtailed by a broken ankle while taking part in first-team training.

He made a full recovery at the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign and looked to have earned his way back into contention, resulting in the club exercising the option of a one-year extension to his original two-year deal at the beginning of last season.

However, with his time at the club officially coming to an end at the beginning of this month, the forward is now fully focused on remaining in peak condition to be able to make an immediate impact for his next club, as well as for Bermuda.

“Last season was a tough one for me,” said Crichlow, who has scored four times in as many appearances for the national team. “I was injured for a bit and that set me back.

“However, I’ve been focusing on keeping fit and doing a lot of work in the gym with coaches. I’m fully fit, available and ready to go.

“I want to make sure I’m ready for any new club and also for Bermuda when the next round of games come round. It was frustrating that the last Nations League match against Montserrat was cancelled but hopefully I’ll be in contention for the next international window.”