August 20, (THEWILL) – Italian Serie A club Udinese have announced that Nigerian goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, has signed a new contract, extending his stay until June 30, 2028.
The club made the announcement through a statement on their official website, putting an end to speculation about his future. Reports had previously linked Okoye with potential moves to Serie A champions Inter Milan and Torino in the upcoming transfer window.
Okoye’s new four-year deal comes on the back of an impressive 2023/2024 season, during which he kept five clean sheets in the Italian top flight. His performances played a crucial role in helping Udinese maintain their Serie A status. The German-born goalkeeper’s high level of play established him as one of the standout goalkeepers in the league.
The 24-year-old joined Udinese from Watford in the summer of 2023. Initially, he found it challenging to break into the starting lineup, being a non-playing substitute for 16 consecutive Serie A matches. However, Okoye seized his opportunity with an impressive league debut against Bologna, keeping a clean sheet in a 3-0 victory. He went on to make the number one position his own, finishing the campaign with twenty-one league appearances.
In total, Okoye featured in twenty-two matches across all competitions for Udinese, conceding 27 goals in 2,010 minutes of play. On the international stage, he received a call-up to the Nigerian national team for their June 2024 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin, although he did not feature in either match.
Before joining Udinese, Okoye’s career included stints at DJK SC Flingern 08, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen, and Sparta Rotterdam. His new contract with Udinese represents a significant step in his professional development and cements his position as a key player for the Italian club.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
