French club Lille look to sign William Ekong from Turkey after agreeing €3.5m deal

SUPER Eagles centreback William Troost-Ekong looks set to join French Ligue 1 side Lille from his Turkish club Bursaspor after the two clubsides agreed a transfer fee of €3.5m following his dazzling World Cup display.

Ekong, 24, who started his career as a youth team player with Tottenham Hotspurs in London, played in all of Nigeria's three World Cup games, giving a great account of himself. Born to a Nigerian father and Dutch mother, Ekong had featured for the Netherlands' youth team before making the switch to Nigeria in 2015 and since then has been a Super Eagles regular.

After his impressive outing in Russia, Lille, who narrowly avoided relegation last season, opened talks with Bursaspor as the club seeks to rebuild. Last season, Ekong made 27 appearances for Bursaspor with two goals to his name following his arrival from Belgium side Gent on a free transfer.

It is believed that Ekong has already agreed to the move where he will be expected to replace Junior Alonso who is expected to leave the club soon. Bursaspor will be given €500,000 in add-ons if at the end of the season he plays in 30 games or more.

Apparently, Ekong is keen to quit Turkey where he has complained about late payment of his monthly salary and wages. At Lille, he will hook up with former Super eagles captain Vincent Enyeama, who is still on the clubs' books.

Meanwhile, Feirense goalkeeper Dele Alampasu is already planning his way back to recognition with the Super Eagles after being dropped from Nigeria's World Cup squad. His contract with Portuguese Division One side Feirense where he failed to make an appearance last season will expire at the end of July and even though the club is keen on an extension, the goalkeeper wants to leave.

Alampasu reckoned his lack of game time cost him his spot in the Nigerian team to Russia 2018, where Francis Uzoho who was third choice behind him at the U17 World Cup in 2013 manned goal. Alampasu is among the goalkeepers under consideration by coach Gernot Rohr who is set to cut loose the duo of Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Daniel Akpeyi as back up to Uzoho when the team gather together in September for the 2019 African Nations Cup qualifiers.

A loan move to a team where he is sure to get game time will no doubt help his quest to push Uzoho for the number one spot of the Super Eagles in the nearest future. Like Uzoho, Alampasu, 21 is seen as young and part of the future Rohr is building.