Sunderland manager David Moyes has admitted that the club were reluctant to let Younes Kaboul join Watford.
The 30-year-old completed his switch to Vicarage Road for an undisclosed fee earlier this evening having spent just one season at the Stadium of Light.
Kaboul played the full 90 minutes of his side's season opener against Manchester City last weekend, but asked Moyes for permission to leave the club once he learned of Watford's offer.
"We got an enquiry from Watford and when we did, Younes also came and saw me and said if this was right, he would like to go back to Watford," Moyes told reporters.
"He wanted to go back - his family home is there and his choice would be to go back - so reluctantly, we agreed to it."
Kaboul made 23 appearances for Sunderland last term as they narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League.