Transfer: Former Salernitana manager keen on reuniting with Super Eagles captain in Dubai
William Troost-Ekong won the MVP award at the AFCON 2023 tournament in Ivory Coast after Nigeria lost to the hosts.
Wiliam Troost-Ekong alongside CAF President, Patrice Motsepe at the AFCON 2023 final. [Photo credit/ X].
Former Salernitana head coach, Paulo Manuel Sousa, is keen on bringing Super Eagles and Paok Thessaloniki defender, William Troost-Ekong, to his new club, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 53-year-old Portuguese manager worked with the Super Eagles captain during the time the pair shared at the Italian side, Salernitana, albeit just four months.
Sousa recently signed for UAE Pro League side, Shabab Al-Ahli, on a two-year deal and is keen on bringing in Ekong as a part of his new recruits.
As per Greek outlet, Gazzetta Greece, Ekong is on the radar of several clubs across Europe and the Middle East following a brilliant AFCON campaign under Jose Peseiro. Dubai-based club, Shabab Al-Ahli have also expressed their interest in the former Watford defender, reaching out to the Greek Champions over a possible transfer since June.
Coach Sousa is reported to be desperately pushing for the deal and Shabab are rumoured to have submitted a deal worth around a million Euros for the former Udinese man.
Soccernet.ngearlier reported that the 30-year-old also has offers from several Saudi Arabia, and he admitted he’s considering his options whilst reiterating he’s very happy with PAOK, after winning the league with them last season. Additionally, the prospect of playing in the UEFA Champions League in the coming season might play a big role in Ekong’s decision.
Ekong suffered a bicep femuris rupture in his right leg during the AFCON 2023 tournament, and required surgery after the competition. The recovery procedure kept him out of action for the rest of last season.
Adefolahan Guerreiro
Adefolahan is a multilingual journalist and writer at Soccernet Nigeria. With a track record of involvement in College sports, Adefolahan is focused on crafting engaging football content and utilising his language skills and extensive sports knowledge to enhance content accessibility for a global audience. He has interviewed Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.