Sports

Watford’s New Signing Kalu Admits Ronaldo, Hazard’s Influence On Career

New Watford signing Samuel Kalu has admitted he admires Real Madrid star Eden Hazard and Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

Super Eagles winger Kalu spoke to the Watford media about the players he models his fame after following his unveiling.

The Hornets secured a work permit for the former Bordeaux forward who missed the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations due to fitness concerns.

“I’m the kind of player that plays like Eden Hazard, I admire him a lot. I also watch Cristiano Ronaldo,” Kalu said on Watford’s website.

“These two players I watch a lot, they help me grow as a professional football player.”

Hazard was of course a cult hero at Chelsea before he moved to Real Madrid.

Speaking about adapting to his new environment, Kalu believes that the presence of the Nigerian contingent at the club will greatly help him.

“I know [Emmanuel] Dennis very well, and [William] Troost-Ekong, we played together at Gent. I also know [Peter] Etebo, we’ve played together in the national team.”

“They will help me a lot. I saw Dennis and Etebo and they were very happy to see me. I know they are going to help me settle at the club,” the nimble footed forward stated.

Kalu’s first line of duty will be to help Watford avoid relegation from the Premier League. The Hornets are currently 19th on the Premier League table, two points from safety.

Kalu’s first game for the team in danger of relegation from the Premier League could come on Saturday, 5 February 2022 against Burnley.

Izuchukwu Okosi

Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc. In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio. He worked there for 13 years until October 2017. Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch. He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations. Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line. Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.