Super Eagles vice captain, Willam Troost-Ekong has allegedly made more money for his parent club, Watford FC while playing on loan at Unione Sportiva Salernitana1919.
The Nigeria National football team player earned for his parent club, €400,000 after his team’s 2-2 draw against Roma on Monday. This hard earned point meant that Salernitana would keep a nine point gap between them and the relegation zone, thus confirming that they will be in the Serie A for another season.
Troost-Ekong: A testing season so far
Troost-Ekong was loaned out by the English Championship side during the winter transfer window at the start of this year to Salernitana. The loan cost the Serie A side €500,000 to bring the Super Eagles defender.
In the loan deal, there was a clause placed that is meant to be triggered if he is able to help the Italian side avoid relegation and stay in the top flight. At the time Troost-Ekong arrived, I Granata we're hovering just above the relegation zone and had just been destroyed by Atalanta by a damming 8-2 scoreline.
The Italian side are now going to play in the Serie A for another season as they have won 42 points in their 37 games so far. Their points tally currently has them 12 points clear of the relegation zone in 15th place.
He made his debut for the club in a 2-1 away win at Lecce but two games later he picked up a knee injury which saw him miss action until mid-March.
Troost-Ekong recently scored a winning goal at the death for Salernitana against his former club, Udinese. It was a 96th minute winner deep into stoppage time which made the Nigerian celebrate wildly. It was his first goal for the club as well as his first ever Serie A goal.
William Troost-Ekong gets his first Serie A goal! 💪🏽
A last-minute winner for Salernitina against former club Udinese pic.twitter.com/fglj3is6qG
— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) May 27, 2023
After the match. He took to social media to express his happiness after a huge victory.
“What a special day in our Stadio Arechi to share with my teammates and everyone involved.
“GRAZIE SALERNO PER TUTTO! FORZA SALERNITANA”
The Italian club have the option to buy Troost-Ekong from Watford as a €2 million fee will be enough to make the deal a permanent one. The Nigerian international will return to Vicarage Road if Salernitana do not exercise the option to keep him at the club.
In his short loan spell, William Troost-Ekong made only three starts and appeared for the Italian side seven times in a loan spell that was sidetracked by injury. Due to this, it may be unlikely that they keep the 29 year old at the club.
Troost-Ekong: Leader with the Super Eagles
For the Nigeria Super Eagles, Ekong is an indispensable member of the senior squad who starts every game. He is a dependable player and leader at the back who is one half of the popular “oyinbo wall” alongside the now unfancied Leon Balogun.
With Ahmed Musa’s diminished role on the team/pitch, Troost-Ekong has worn the armband in his stead and there is almost no doubt that he will be the one to become the new Super Eagles captain when Musa decides to retire.
This article was most recently revised and updated 2 years ago
