Watford's renaissance since the arrival of manager Xisco Munoz in December has been nothing short of spectacular.

Whilst the Hornets were not exactly struggling under the guidance of former boss Vladimir Ivic, it seemed as if the best they could hope for this season was a place in the play-offs.

However, following Gino Pozzo's bold decision to replace the Serbian with Munoz, Watford have been utterly outstanding in the Championship and deservedly secured automatic promotion to the top-flight last weekend.

Although Munoz will be focused on guiding his side to a positive end to the campaign next month, he will also have to resolve the futures of some of his players who are out-of-contract this summer.

One of the individuals who could become a free-agent in June is full-back Achraf Lazaar.

Since joining the Hornets in February, the 29-year-old has struggled to force his way into the club's starting eleven due to the presence of Adam Masina as he has been limited to just four appearances.

With the 2020/21 season reaching a crescendo, Watford have seemingly already made a decision regarding Lazaar's time at the club.

According to a report by The Athletic, the former Newcastle United man will not be offered a new deal by the Hornets despite the fact that the club do have the option to automatically trigger a one-year extension in his contract.

After failing to impress during Watford's 1-0 defeat to arch-rivals Luton Town, Lazaar has watched on from the sidelines for the club's two most recent fixtures in the Championship.

GIVEMESPORT's Joshua Cole says...

When you consider just how underwhelming Lazaar's displays have been since his arrival at Vicarage Road, it wouldn't be at all surprising if Watford decide to cut ties with him this summer.

Currently averaging an underwhelming WhoScored match rating of 6.41 in the second-tier, the defender may not be good enough to compete at the highest level against some of the world's best players.

During his spell at Newcastle, Lazaar failed to make any appearances in the Premier League and was loaned out by the club on three separate occasions before joining Watford.

Given that he is unlikely to overtake Masina in Watford's pecking order, it could be argued that the Morocco international may need to leave the club in order to get his career back on track following what has been a tough period for him.

The Hornets could also benefit from Lazaar's departure as it will free up some money from their wage bill which could be used to sign a player who know exactly what it takes to thrive in the top-flight.