Super Eagles star Maduka Okoye battling to find his feet at Watford

Nigeria international Maduka Okoye admits he has struggled to adapt to life at his new club Watford.

Okoye became his country's most expensive goalkeeper when the Hornets forked out five million euros to sign him from Sparta Rotterdam in January 2022.

However, Austrian gloveman Daniel Bachmann has been the preferred choice between the sticks for Watford, leaving Okoye on the bench for most of the year.

"I made the step to England with my full mind," Okoye told VoetbalPrimeur.

"I was told that I had to compete with the other keepers for a place under the crossbar.

"Every goalkeeper who goes from the Netherlands to England has some starting problems. I was also told that I will have the time and space to adapt to the level and to a new country and new competition, so that I can eventually make the move.

"Some things are different in England than in the Netherlands, just take the physical difference.

"Sports-wise it hasn't worked out as I had hoped, but we're sticking to the plan. No, it's certainly not easy. It's quite tough, I have to tell you very honestly.

"At Sparta I played every week and now I'm on the couch, that was something I had to get used to.

"Then you come home with a different feeling than when you play every week, get balls out of the goal and get compliments. But that is also football and is just part of it."