William Ekong rejects Turkish offers choosing instead to fight for a Watford starting shirt

SUPER Eagles centreback William Troost-Ekong has turned down offers to play in Turkey and decided to stay with English Championship side Watford until at least until January and try to fight for a place.

Since the start of the current campaign, Troost-Ekong has lost his place in the Watford starting 11 as the team starts life in the second tier of English football following their relegation from the Premier League. Just before the summer transfer window closed, Troost-Ekong had a few offers from the Turkish league but he rejected them, choosing instead to fight for his place at Vicarage Road.

Turkish champions Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce had both emerged as leading candidates for the signature of the defender. Troost-Ekong spent a memorable year at Bursaspor before sealing a dream move to the Italian Serie A to join Udinese in 2018.

No longer being in the picture at Watford, it was expected that the Ekong would welcome the idea of returning to Turkey but he rejected both offers. Ekong, 27, has made 32 league appearances for Watford, helping them secure promotion to the Premier League during the 2020/21 campaign and then featuring for the club in the top flight.

So far, he has rejected loan offers from Trabzonspor, Fenerbahce, Ankaragucu and Kasimpasa to remain in England. Ekong is determined to regain the favour of head coach Rob Edwards and reclaim his spot in the Watford starting 11, given that he is contracted to the club until June 2025.