Watford have confirmed Nathan Ellington, Mat Sadler and Liam Henderson will all become free agents this summer.

Ellington and Sadler’s departure has been expected for the best part of two years as both players are on big wages and have not featured under Malky Mackay since December 2009 in Ellington’s case and December 2008 for Sadler.

Liam Henderson had been a regular from the bench last season but has not featured at all for Watford during the 2010/11 campaign.

Henderson has made 51 appearances for Watford, Hartlepool United, Colchester United, Aldershot Town and Rotherham United but is yet to score in the Football League.

All three players ended this season on loan at other clubs, with Henderson playing 11 times for Rotherham, Sadler making 52 appearances for Shrewsbury Town during the 2010/11 campaign and Ellington featuring 18 times for Preston North End.

Young centre half Rob Kiernan is the only other Watford player who will be out of contract this summer but we understand he is among a host of young professionals currently in contract talks with the club.