Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has parted ways with English championship side Watford and is set to complete a move to Serie A strugglers Salernitana according to reports in England and Italy.

Troost-Ekong spent three seasons with the Hornets, making a total of 68 appearances in all competitions and playing a key role in enabling them gain promotion to the Premier League in the 2021/22 season but could not help them remain in the league as they finished 19th in the league. 

Troost-Ekong who joined Watford from Udinese in September 2020 bid farewell to fans and management of the club on social media on Monday.

“The moment has come for me to move on from Watford FC 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 29-year-old tweeted. 

“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 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. All the best, Will.

News of the Eagles defender’s imminent move to the Serie A broke over the weekend, a situation that has left manager, Slavan Bilic, shorthanded in defence with Christian Kabasele sidelined with a hamstring injury. 

Watford are currently third in the championship and Bilic says he hopes to bring in a replacement for the Nigerian before the end of the transfer window if they want to achieve their goal of returning to the topflight. 

“Of course we will need to bring somebody in, if we want to do what we want to do, and that is to be promoted.”