Okoye Maduka signs for EPL side Watford FC

Nigeria international and Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye has completed a deal with London-base English Premier League (EPL) side, Watford FC to join the club that already has up six compatriots on its payroll, including three in the national team.

Watford confirmed the agreement reached with Okoye, Tuesday, on its website, as it welcomed the shot stopper to its fold.

The deal is for five and a half years which sees the Super eagles goalkeeper fight for the number one shirt in goal for the club.

Watford are presently struggling against relegation having only last Sunday lost their match against London rival, Arsenal by 0-1 away at the Emirates Stadium.

“Watford FC is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement to sign highly-rated young goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, on a five-and-a-half year deal that will begin on January 1, 2022.

“The Nigeria international joins the Hornets for an undisclosed fee from Eredivisie outfit Sparta Rotterdam, to where he will return on loan until the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

“A regular starter for the Dutch club, Okoye has lined up between the sticks in each of their games so far this season, while he has made 13 appearances for his country since debuting in a 1-1 draw with Brazil in 2019.

“Born in Germany to a Nigerian father and German mother, the 22-year-old played in the youth ranks at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen and Fortuna Düsseldorf before moving to Sparta Rotterdam in the summer of 2020. He won Sparta’s Player of the Season award last term for a string of stellar performances, helping his side claim an eighth-place finish in the league.

“The 6ft 6in shot-stopper’s consistent displays for both club and country have seen him linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but he has now put pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Golden Boys.

“Welcome to Watford, Maduka!” the club statement read, Tuesday.

Okoye joined Watford from Eredivisie outfit Sparta Rotterdam. He will, however, expected to spend the rest of the 2021/22 campaign with his current side Sparta Rotterdam.

The highly-rated young goalkeeper took to his official Instagram account to celebrate the move with a message that said: “I’m overwhelmed to sign for @watfordfcofficial , to play in the Premier League is something I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little boy💫 I can’t wait to get started with the team upcoming season 2022/2023!

“I wish the Club all the best for the rest of the season!.

“See u soon!!”

The London club, Watford is also fondly called ‘Nigeria FC’ due to the high number of Nigerian players in the squad, with three of them in the Super Eagles starting eleven, namely; Oghenekaro Etebo, Emmanuel (Bonaventure) Dennis, William Troost-Ekong, Tom Dele-Bashiru, Isaac Success, Dapo Mebude.

“Watford FC is gradually becoming a Super Eagles camp,” once said Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick.

“I told Mr Giaretta (Watford Director) that we have six players at Watford FC now and three of them are regular Super Eagles teamers and therefore, we need to forge a stronger relationship with the club.”