Watford Academy product Jack Grieves is set to continue his professional development with a loan move north of the border.

The 19-year-old, who was an unused substitute for Saturday’s 2-0 pre-season friendly defeat at Gillingham, is poised to join Scottish Premiership side Ross County on loan for the season, the Watford Observer understands.

The versatile Watford-born forward, who can also play in midfield, scored the only goal in Watford’s first public outing of the summer, the 1-0 victory at Boreham Wood.

Grieves was a regular traveller with the squad last season and made his first senior start in the Hornets’ final home game, the 1-0 victory over Sunderland, before coming off the bench in the campaign-ending 3-1 defeat at Middlesbrough.

Tom Cleverley had previously spoken about the player being unfortunate not to have got some first-team minutes because his work in training had been impressive.

“Grievesy has been training fantastically well since I’ve come in, and he trains with a real intensity,” the head coach said following the victory over Sunderland.

The teenager, who is the fourth generation of his family to play for Watford and the great-great-grandson of the legendary Reginald ‘Skilly’ Williams, will now be aiming to increase his first-team experience with the Dingwall-based club, managed by former Hornets winger Don Cowie.

Grieves will not be the first Watford player to have spent a season with the club located near to Inverness.

Joseph Hungbo, who is now on loan at Rotherham United, scored seven goals in 33 league appearances for County during the 2021/22 campaign.