Ekong’s move is to get playing time, having only played 15 games from 28 matches and 1094 minutes in the Championship this season
Super Eagles defender and vice-captain, William Troost-Ekong, has bid his teammates at Watford farewell after the confirmation of his loan deal to Serie A side Salernitana.
The defender revealed as much via his Twitter handle on Monday.
The moment has come for me to move on from @WatfordFC after 3 special seasons shared with everyone involved. From everyone at the restaurant, security workers, volunteers at the stadium to the medical & office staff and all the rest you have made my time what it was. pic.twitter.com/hDuFquKrFO— William Troost-Ekong (@WTroostEkong) January 23, 2023
The sudden move of the Nigerian may not be unconnected with getting playing time, having only played 15 games and 1094 minutes in the Championship this season.
His last game for the Hornets was a 2-0 win against Blackpool on Saturday, 14 January.
Ekong, who travelled to Italy on Sunday for medicals, as stated by Sky Italia, will play in the Serie A, three years after he left Udinese to join Watford. He last played in Serie A for Udinese after a switch from Turkish outfit, Bursaspor in 2018. He played 65 games during his two-year spell with the Bianconeri.
The 29-year-old Ekong will hope he can help 16th-placed Salernitana stave off relegation. In his tweet, Ekong thanked the Watford management for his three-year spell at the English club.
“The moment has come for me to move on from @WatfordFC after 3 special seasons shared with everyone involved. From everyone at the restaurant, security workers, volunteers at the stadium to the medical & office staff and all the rest, you have made my time what it was.”
“The coaches and most of all my teammates, I can only say thank you!!!
“The Pozzo family for believing in me and the important 5 years of my career at both clubs with the highlight [being] the promotion and a chance to achieve my boyhood dream of playing in the Premier League.
“To all the fans, thank you for your support. It has been special going from watching as a boy to stepping on the pitch as a player. As now a fan again, I wish for promotion just as much as all of you and will be back watching from the stands in the future.
“COYH! All the best, Will.”
