Adalberto Penaranda will join Watford teammate Roberto Pereyra at the Copa America next month after being named in Venezuela’s 23-man squad.

The 22-year-old attacker’s inclusion comes after being limited to only 94 minutes of first-team action for the Hornets this season; a 22-minute substitute appearance in the FA Cup fourth round victory at Newcastle United following his debut in the third round win against Woking.

Those appearances came after Penaranda was finally granted a work permit in November when he also penned a new five-year contract, having first signed a Hornets deal in 2016.

A former loanee with Granada, Udinese and Malaga, the player has made 14 appearances for Venezuela to date and helped his country to the 2017 Under-20 World Cup final, which they lost to England.

 

Venezuela are in Group A of the 12-team tournament and begin their campaign against Peru on June 15. They face hosts Brazil four days later before their final group game against Bolivia on June 22.

Hornets club-mate Pereyra had previously been named in the Argentina squad. They are in Group B alongside Colombia, Paraguay and Qatar.