Maduka Okoye has claimed his agent held talks with Premier League trio Southampton, Burnley and Crystal Palace before he completed a £6 million move to Watford, speaking to Transfermarkt.
Yesterday, Hornets keeper Daniel Bachmann admitted he wants to leave Vicarage Road in the January transfer window if first-team minutes remain hard to come by.
Bachmann has already slipped behind 38-year-old Ben Foster in Claudio Ranieri’s pecking order. The arrival of Okoye, then, may be the final straw.
The German-born Nigeria international sealed a £7 million move to Watford this week – a fee that makes him the most expensive player in the history of Eredivisie outfit Sparta Rotterdam.
But Watford weren’t the only club to come calling on the back of Okoye’s impressive performances for the Dutch top-flight strugglers.
Why did Maduka Okoye choose Watford over Southampton and Palace?
“My management, Prime11, had been in close contact with several clubs from the Premier League since the beginning of the year – Southampton, Crystal Palace and Burnley,” admits the 22-year-old shot-stopper.
“Watford, with club (owner) Gino Pozzo, simply convinced me. I will fight for (my place) and give everything to be the number one.
“I believe in the quality of the team and I pray and hope they stay in (the Premier League).”
It’s believed Okoye will return to Sparta Rotterdam on loan until the end of this season before travelling to Hertfordshire in summer 2022.
Southampton will be disappointed to miss out to their top-flight rivals, especially given a goalkeeper was understood to be their top priority heading into the new year.
According to The Athletic, Fraser Forster is likely to leave the Saints when his £70,000-a-week contract expires in nine months’ time.
That would leave Alex McCarthy desperately short of competition at St Mary’s.
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