Super Eagles winger Samuel Kalu set to arrive in Watford for a medical today

SUPER Eagles winger Samuel Kalu is to become the next Nigerian to join the English Premier League after Watford concluded a £3.5m transfer deal with his French club Bordeaux that will involve the player signing on the dotted line today.

Kalu, 23, joined Bordeaux from Belgian side Gent in August 2018 for €8m and got off to a flying start but went off the boil last season. In a bid to revive his club career, Kalu asked to be left out of a few Super Eagles games last year and as a result is not with the squad prosecuting the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Watford, who currently has six Nigerians on its books has decided to swoop for the unsettled Kalu and are expecting the winger to arrive today. Kalu is expected to undergo a medical later this afternoon after the two clubs agreed a fee in the region of £3.5m.

Kalu’s current contract at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux expires in 2023 but the winger has been struggling for form in recent years. He has only played 323 minutes of league football in the French top-flight this season, with just one goal to his name.

This move to Watford where he will play alongside William Ekong, Maduka Okoye, Oghene  Etebo and Emmanuel Dennis, could be the spark Kalu needs to regain his form. He will not feel out of place at the Vicarage Road as several of his international teammates are currently playing for the club, while the likes of Isaac Success and Tom Dele-Bashiru are still registered with the Hornets.

Kalu’s first task will be to help Watford avoid the drop from the Premier League. Claudio Ranieri’s men currently sit 17th in the English top-flight but are only just one point above the relegation zone.