Watford defender, William Troost-Ekong says it has always been his dream to play in the English Premier League.
The 27-year-old, who can’t wait to make his long awaited debut, will file out with the Hornets as they go up against Aston Villa in their first game of the new season on Saturday.
Troost-Ekong played a crucial role in Watford’s promotion last season after arriving from Serie A club Udinese.
The player began his youth career with Fulham and later Tottenham Hotspur, but failed to establish himself in the first team in both clubs.
Then he had spells in Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Turkey before returning to England with Watford.
“It took me all these years just to get to where I wanted to be,”Troost-Ekong told ESPN.
“Now the biggest challenges ahead of me is actually playing in the Premier League and hopefully enjoying myself here. Because that’s something that I have wanted to do all my life.
“It has taken having a lot of perseverance to get here. And now, I feel like I’m just getting started,” he added.
The last time the Hornets were in the top flight, they lasted five seasons, from 2015 to 2020, their longest stint in the Premier League era.
However, their best stint in the PL was when they spent six seasons in the old First Division between 1982 and 1988.