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Watford announce signing of Nigeria keeper day after Foster heroics

Maduka Okoye new Watford signing

Watford have announced the signing of Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okoye for an undisclosed fee from Dutch outfit Sparta Rotterdam.

The five-and-a-half year deal will begin on 1 January 2022 and run until the end of the 2026-27 season. However, the 22-year-old stopper will spend the rest of the current campaign back with Sparta Rotterdam on loan.

Okoye has made 13 appearances for Nigeria since making his debut in a 1-1 draw with Brazil in 2019.

The giant keeper, who stands at 6ft 6in, began his career in Germany at Borussia Monchengladbach. He also played for Bayer Leverkusen and Fortuna Dusseldorf before moving to the Dutch Eredivisie side in the summer of 2020.

He won Sparta’s Player of the Season award in 2020-21. His form was outstanding as he helped his side finish eighth in the Dutch top flight.

The signing of Watford’s proposed keeper of the future came just a day after Ben Foster’s heroics at Arsenal.

The 38-year-old was magnificent as he saved a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty and produced several superb stops. However, his performance came to nothing as the home side ran out 1-0 winners.


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Watford target Man Utd defender

Meanwhile, a rarely seen Manchester United star is attracting interest from 13 clubs including Newcastle and Watford, though recent events could see him handed a reprieve by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, claims a report.

United have lurched from exhilarating highs to despairing lows this season. A 5-1 demolition of bitter rivals Leeds kicked their season off in fine style before Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a memorable brace on his re-debut versus Newcastle.

Man Utd pair Phil Jones and David de Gea looking dejected 2021

The Red Devils scored thrilling last-minute winners against West Ham and Villarreal, but they were interspersed with sobering defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City.

The club’s leaky defence prompted Solskjaer to switch to a back three. However, Raphael Varane’s untimtely hamstring injury has left him light at the back for that formation.

As such, the Sun claim Phil Jones could be brought back into the mix nearly two years after his last appearance for the club.

Still only 29, Jones has time on his side to re-establish himself in the top flight. However, if United show any indication Jones’ future lays away from Old Trafford, no fewer than 13 clubs are ready to pounce.

That’s according to the Sun, who claim Newcastle and Watford comprise Jones’ Premier League interest.

The pair are reportedly weighing up January loan moves for the veteran centre-half, with Jones fully recovered from his injury hell.