Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has joined Watford from Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam for a fee understood to be in the region of €6 million.

Okoye, 22, has penned a five-and-a-half year contract with the Premier League strugglers, which will begin on January 1 2022.

He will remain on loan at Sparta Rotterdam for the rest of the 2021-22 season.

Okoye’s signing swells the ranks of Nigerians at the club with fellow internationals William Troost-Ekong, Oghenekaro Etebo and Emmanuel Dennis already at Watford.

The German-born goalkeeper has won 13 caps for three-time African champions Nigeria and has played in every one of Sparta’s 12 Eredivisie matches this season, conceding 19 goals.

Okoye began his career in Germany, enjoying a spell at Bayer Leverkusen before turning professional with Fortuna Dusseldorf in 2017.

Watford said in a statement: “The 6ft 6in shot-stopper’s consistent displays for both club and country have seen him linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but he has now put pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Golden Boys.

“Welcome to Watford, Maduka.”

Okoye is expected to link up with the Super Eagles for the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde.