Nigeria and Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa, admitted that his tough experience at English side Watford helped him become a better person and footballer.
Okoye signed for Watford in 2021 after an impressive spell with Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam, in a deal worth about €5m.
He struggled for game time during his stay at Vicarage Road, as he was the third-choice goalkeeper. His only appearances for the Hornets came in a Carabao Cup defeat to MK Dons and an FA Cup loss to Reading before his transfer to Udinese.
Buon compleanno Maduka 🎉
Happy birthday Okoye 🎂⚪️⚫️ #ForzaUdinese #AlèUdin pic.twitter.com/UM9FZC9p5g
— Udinese Calcio (@Udinese_1896) August 28, 2025
Okoye did not play a single league game in the Championship for Watford before he was sent to the club’s sister side.
After a slow start in Italy, Okoye became Udinese’s first-choice goalkeeper and has developed into one of the best shot-stoppers in Serie A.
Okoye said many things happened behind the scenes that affected him, and he believes his disappointing experience at Watford has made him stronger.
“My time at Watford was challenging — there was a lot happening, not only on the pitch but also off it. I was younger and dealing with many things at the same time, including recovering from shoulder surgery. It was a tough period,” he exclusively told Footy-Africa.
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“I signed for the club when they were in the Premier League, but I arrived the summer they were relegated, which wasn’t what I had expected, and it made things more difficult. Maybe I didn’t deal with some situations in the best way, but I learned from them and I’ve grown a lot. I got another chance at Udinese, and I took it. I’ve become a better player and a better man,” he added.
Okoye’s performances have attracted interest from several top clubs, including Inter Milan and Juventus.
A possible return to England has also been discussed, with Bournemouth reportedly interested last summer.
Although Okoye said he is happy at Udinese, he admitted he would like to explore a move elsewhere in the future.
“I’m always happy when there are rumours, because it means I’m doing well and that clubs might want to have a future with me. But at this moment, I’m very happy at Udinese. I will give everything for the club, and my focus is fully here. Of course, I also want to take a step forward in my career at some point, but right now my full focus is on Udinese.” he concluded.
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