Troost-Ekong hopes to help Watford back to the Premier League

by Graeme Jackson

Sunday Oct 04, 2020. 12:00

Nigerian defender William Troost-Ekong says he wants to help Watford bounce straight back to the Premier League.

The 27-year-old Super Eagles centre-back signed for Watford on a five-year deal earlier this week and hopes to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Odion Ighalo, who helped the Hornets earn promotion from the second tier in 2014-15 and has gone on to bigger and better things.

“The project of Watford has been something that has always been on my mind,” Troost-Ekong told ESPN. “Coming to Udinese two years ago, it was something we discussed at the time knowing that the Pozzo family also own Watford.

“And now when I heard about the project of them coming back up to the Premier League, and really trying to give it a good go in the Championship this year, it felt like the right time for me to join.

“So, yeah, it wasn’t a complete surprise because it was something that could have happened also maybe last year. But I’m here now and I’m really happy to be here.”

Troost-Ekong added that he was in contact with Ighalo before his move to England from Udinese, seeking the striker’s opinion of Watford.

“Yeah, I’m still in touch with Odion and, of course, Isaac Success as well,” he explained. “I spoke to him about the club; Odion had only good things to say.

“He’s been here, obviously, in a similar project as mine because he arrived and he brought them up. And then he stayed there. And he had a fantastic time.

“So, yeah, he’s paved the way, really, and he’s a big brother to me. So hopefully I’ll be able to follow in his footsteps. There’s been some really good Nigerian players here, and I hope that I can be part of that Nigeria legacy with Watford as well.”