Official: William Troost-Ekong joins Salernitana on loan

• The Super Eagles defender returns to Italy after spending three years with the Golden Boys, amassing 68 caps and scoring twice

US Salernitana have announced the signing of Nigerian defender, William Troost-Ekong from Watford on a loan deal until the end of the season.

The expensive move sees Salernitana pay the English Championship club a loan fee of €400,000 for the Super Eagles vice-captain while retaining the right to make the move permanent in July.

Troost-Ekong will wear jersey number 15 at Salernitana, having had on number five throughout his stay at Watford.

During a rollercoaster three-year spell in England, Troost-Ekong helped Watford seal promotion to the Premier League in his first season but his best was not enough to prevent the Hornets from returning to the Championship at the end of the campaign.

Troost-Ekong returns to the Italian Serie A where he made his impact felt with 66 decent appearances at Udinese before leaving for England in 2020.

Salernitana will hope the 29-year-old can bring his experience playing in England, Italy, Belgium, Turkey, and the Netherlands to bear on them immediately.

I Granata have the worst defence in Serie A having shipped 37 goals in only 19 matches and were recently bashed 8-2 by an Ademola Lookman-inspired Atalanta and 2-0 by a Victor Osimhen-powered Napoli.

Troost-Ekong will aim to make his debut for
Salernitana when the 16th-best team in the Italian first division takes on Lecce this weekend.