London, Aug. 9 (Reuters): Jimmy Davis, a 21-year-old forward on loan to first division Watford from Manchester United, has been killed in a motorway car crash, the Premier League club said on Saturday.

Watford postponed their opening league game of the season against Coventry City, scheduled for 2.00 pm (GMT) on Saturday, after hearing of the “tragic circumstances beyond our control”.

Watford issued a statement saying that a man, believed to be Davis, had been killed in an accident on the M40 on Saturday morning and United confirmed his identity.

Watford’s game was called off around three hours before the kick-off. Davis, an England under-20 international, joined Watford in July on a one-season loan from United.

A statement on the United website on Saturday said: “Everyone at Manchester United is devastated to hear about Jimmy’s tragic death. We send our sincere condolences to his family and many friends. He will be sorely missed.”

Manager Alex Ferguson was quoted as saying: “You could not meet a nicer and more bubbly character than Jimmy Davis. He was a player with real potential, that’s why we had sent him to Watford.”