Caleb Watts

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Caleb Watts

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Caleb Cassius Watts{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/1869523 |title=2020/21 Premier League squads confirmed |publisher=Premier League |date=20 October 2020 | access-date=25 October 2020}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|01|16|df=y}}{{cite web |url=https://www.fifadata.com/documents/FU17WC/2019/pdf/FU17WC_2019_Squadlists.pdf |title=FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019: List of Players: Australia |publisher=FIFA |page=3 |date=31 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227222540/https://www.fifadata.com/documents/FU17WC/2019/pdf/FU17WC_2019_Squadlists.pdf |archive-date=27 December 2019}}

| birth_place = Essex, England

| height = 1.71m{{cite news|url=https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce4/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf|website=FIFA|accessdate=8 July 2021|title=Squad list - Men's Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020}}

| position = Midfielder,wing-back

| currentclub = Plymouth Argyle

| clubnumber = 17

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2018

| youthclubs1 = Queens Park Rangers

| youthyears2 = 2018–2021

| youthclubs2 = Southampton

| years1 = 2021–2023

| clubs1 = Southampton

| caps1 = 3

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2022

| clubs2 = → Crawley Town (loan)

| caps2 = 1

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2022–2023

| clubs3 = → Morecambe (loan)

| caps3 = 23

| goals3 = 2

| years4 = 2023–2025

| clubs4 = Exeter City

| caps4 = 40

| goals4 = 5

| years5 = 2025–

| clubs5 = Plymouth Argyle

| caps5 = 0

| goals5 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2019

| nationalteam1 = Australia U17

| nationalcaps1 = 7

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 2021–

| nationalteam2 = Australia U23

| nationalcaps2 = 8

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 05:05, 8 May 2025 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 28 July 2021

}}

Caleb Cassius Watts (born 16 January 2002) is a professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder or wing-back for {{English football updater|PlymoutA}} club Plymouth Argyle.

Club career

=Southampton=

Watts signed his first professional contract in July 2019.{{cite web |date=17 July 2019 |title=Four youngsters sign professional deals |url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2019-07-17/southampton-fc-academy-pro-contracts-jankewitz-watts-norton-keogh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717100627/https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2019-07-17/southampton-fc-academy-pro-contracts-jankewitz-watts-norton-keogh |archive-date=17 July 2019 |access-date=20 January 2021 |publisher=Southampton FC}} On 19 January 2021, Watts made his first professional appearance in Southampton's 2–0 victory against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55574523|title=Southampton 2–0 Shrewsbury Town|date=19 January 2021|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=20 January 2021}} Watts made his Premier League debut on 26 January 2021, replacing Danny Ings in Southampton's 3–1 defeat to Arsenal.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=26 January 2021|title=Arsenal fight back to clinch victory|url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2021-01-26/match-report-southampton-vs-arsenal-premier-league-202021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131223323/https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2021-01-26/match-report-southampton-vs-arsenal-premier-league-202021 |archive-date=31 January 2021 |access-date=27 January 2021|website=Southampton F.C.}} Watts became the 52nd Australian to play in the league.{{cite web|first=Jake|last= Rosengarten| url= https://sport.optus.com.au/articles/os19493/analysis-southampton-v-arsenal?fbclid=IwAR0PpsdQSJJLm_oW1TfkiCv21HQ74RvUip48kpSL_V39Lp6VddnEMl2vWik|date= 27 January 2021 | access-date= 27 January 2021|website= sport.optus.com.au| title =Aussie teen Caleb Watts makes Premier League debut in Southampton's 3-1 loss to Arsenal}}

On 12 January 2022, Watts joined Crawley Town for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.{{Cite web|date=12 January 2022|title=Watts heads to Crawley on loan|url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2022-01-12/announcement-caleb-watts-southampton-loan-crawley-town-january-2022|url-status=live|access-date=12 January 2022|website=Southampton FC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220112181810/https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2022-01-12/announcement-caleb-watts-southampton-loan-crawley-town-january-2022 |archive-date=12 January 2022 }} He made his debut for the club as a 63rd-minute substitute against Carlisle United on 15 January 2022, but came back off 18 minutes later after he suffered a hamstring injury.{{Cite news |last=Crocker |first=Tom |date=17 January 2022 |title=Saints' Caleb Watts suffers injury on Crawley Town debut |language=en |work=Daily Echo |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/19852891.saints-caleb-watts-suffers-injury-crawley-town-debut/ |access-date=17 January 2022}}

On 23 June 2022, Watts joined Morecambe on a season-long loan.{{Cite web |date=23 June 2022 |title=Watts joins Morecambe on loan |url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2022-06-23/announcement-caleb-watts-loan-southampton-football-club-morecambe-2022-23 |access-date=30 June 2022 |website=Southampton FC}} He made his debut for the club on 6 August 2022 in a 3–0 defeat against Peterborough United.{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Derek |date=6 August 2022 |title=Peterborough United 3 Morecambe 0: Shrimps left to rue missed chances |url=https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/peterborough-united-3-morecambe-0-shrimps-left-to-rue-missed-chances-3796284 |access-date=21 February 2025 |website=Lancashire Post}} On 30 August 2022, Watts scored his first goal for the club in a 3–3 draw with Everton U21 in the EFL Trophy, and he converted a penalty to help Morecambe win 7–6 on penalties.{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Derek |date=31 August 2022 |title=Morecambe 3 Everton U21 3 (Morecambe win 7-6 on penalties): Winning start in Papa John's Trophy |url=https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/sport/football/morecambe-3-everton-u21-3-morecambe-win-7-6-on-penalties-winning-start-in-papa-johns-trophy-3825056 |access-date=21 February 2025 |website=Lancaster Guardian}}

Watts was released by Southampton at the end of the 2022–23 season.{{Cite web |date=15 June 2023 |title=Men's retained list published for 2023 |url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/mens-retained-list-published-for-2023 |access-date=15 June 2023 |website=Southampton FC}}

=Exeter City=

On 15 September 2023, Watts signed a short-term contract with League One side Exeter City until January 2024.{{cite news |title=Caleb Watts joins on short-term deal |url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2023/september/caleb-watts/ |access-date=15 September 2023 |publisher=Exeter City FC |date=15 September 2023}} A day later, he scored on his debut in a 1–0 victory against Cheltenham Town.{{Cite web |date=16 September 2023 |title=Exeter City 1–0 Cheltenham Town |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66760165 |access-date=21 September 2023 |website=BBC Sport}} In January 2024, he extended his contract until the end of the season with the option for a further year.{{cite web|url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2024/january/caleb-shaun-extensions/|title=✍️ Caleb Watts and Shaun Macdonald extend City contracts|website=www.exetercityfc.co.uk|date=15 January 2024|accessdate=15 January 2024}}

Watts extended his contract on 18 June 2024 until January 2025.{{Cite web |date=18 June 2024 |title=Watts agrees new deal at Exeter City |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c3ggk1jl24xo |access-date=21 June 2024 |website=BBC Sport}} On 1 October 2024, he received a red card during a 1–0 away victory against Leyton Orient for a late tackle in stoppage time.{{Cite web |date=1 October 2024 |title=Leyton Orient 0–1 Exeter City |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/ckgn33yk7ket |access-date=21 February 2025 |website=BBC Sport}}{{Cite web |date=1 October 2024 |title=Match Report: Leyton Orient 0 Exeter City 1 |url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/match-report-leyton-orient-0-exeter-city-1 |access-date=21 February 2025 |website=Exeter City FC}} Watts extended his contract on 27 January 2025 until the end of the season.{{Cite web |date=27 January 2025 |title=Exeter midfielder Watts signs contract extension |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cp3jvje9k1no |access-date=21 February 2025 |website=BBC Sport}}

Watts turned down the offer of a new contract at the end of the 2024–25 season. {{cite web|url=https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/caleb-watts-contract|title=Caleb Watts turns down City offer|website=www.exetercityfc.co.uk|date=23 May 2025|accessdate=23 May 2025}}

= Plymouth Argyle =

On 23 May 2025, Watts agreed to join Plymouth Argyle on a three-year deal following their relegation to League One, officially joining on 1 July following the expiry of his Exeter City contract.{{Cite web |date=23 May 2025 |title=Caleb Watts signs for Argyle |url=https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/caleb-watts-signs-argyle |access-date=23 May 2025 |website=Plymouth Argyle FC}}

International career

Watts was born in England to an Australian father, and is eligible to represent both England and Australia internationally.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/the-promising-teenager-who-doubled-australia-s-epl-contingent-20210127-p56xaq.html|title=The promising teenager who doubled Australia's EPL contingent|first=Vince|last=Rugari|date=27 January 2021|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}{{cite news|url=https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/he-s-a-wonderful-talent-aussie-teen-praised-after-impressive-saints-debut|title='He's a wonderful talent' - Aussie teen praised after impressive Saints debut|work=The World Game|date=20 January 2021|access-date=20 January 2021}} He was named in the Australia U17 squad for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.{{cite news|url=https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/trevor-morgan-names-australias-brazil-bound-boys|title=Trevor Morgan names Australia's Brazil-bound boys|work=Socceroos|date=3 October 2019|access-date=20 January 2021}}

Watts qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He was part of the Olyroos Olympic squad. The team beat Argentina in their first group match but were unable to win another match and were therefore not in medal contention.{{Cite web |title=Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021 |url=https://www.theroar.com.au/olympics/australian-olympic-team/ |access-date=2 March 2022 |website=The Roar |language=en-US}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|EFL Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="3"\|Southampton \|2020–21{{soccerbase season\|134561\|2020\|access-date=15 March 2021}} \|Premier League \|3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
2021–22{{soccerbase season\|134561\|2021\|access-date=17 January 2022}} \|Premier League \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total !3\|\|0\|\|1\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|4\|\|0
Crawley Town (loan) \|2021–22 \|League Two \|1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Morecambe (loan) \|2022–23{{soccerbase season\|134561\|2022\|access-date=7 August 2022}} \|League One \|23	2	1	0	3	0	3{{efn\|name=ELT\|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}	1	30	3
rowspan="3"\|Exeter City \|2023–24{{soccerbase season\|134561\|2023\|access-date=15 September 2023}} \|League One \|9	1	0	0	1	0	1{{efn\|name=ELT\|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}	0	11	1
2024–25{{soccerbase season\|134561\|2024\|access-date=10 August 2024}} \|League One \|31	4	2	0	1	0	3	0	37	4
colspan="2"\|Total !40\|\|5\|\|2\|\|0\|\|2\|\|0\|\|4\|\|0\|\|48\|\|5
colspan="3"\|Career total !67\|\|7\|\|4\|\|0\|\|5\|\|0\|\|7\|\|1\|\|83\|\|8