Maduka Okoye is Super Eagles’ biggest bench-warmer so far this season in Europe according to statistics, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The £6m summer signing from Sparta Rotterdam made his debut for Watford in a 2-0 loss to MK Dons in a Carabao Cup game in August – his only appearance so far, but he is still waiting for a league debut.
The-22-year-old has been an unused substitute in 15 of the Hornets’ 20 league games this season while he has been left entierly out of the club’s match day squad five times.
That’s a total of 1350 minutes he sat on the bench, not including injury time according to Transfermarkt.
No other Eagles player in Europe top flight has spent as much time on the bench as Okoye this season.
Okoye enjoyed a wonderful season at Sparta Rotterdam last year but his move to Watford has seen him play second fiddle to Daniel Bachmann at the club.
He has been included in the Eagles squad for the friendly against Portugal next Thursday.
Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho is next on the list as he has spent the most time on the bench for an outfield player – 974 minutes.
The forward who has scored once this term has made 10 appearances in the EPL totaling 211 minutes for the Foxes.
Brentford’s Frank Onyeka is third on the list have warmed the bench for 909 minutes so far this season. The 25-year-old midfielder has made the Bees match day squad 14 times. He has started three games while being substituted eight times.
Eagles vice-captain, William Troost-Ekong who will lead the Eagles against Portugal next week has spent 623 minutes on the bench while he has seen 817 minutes of action in the 10 games played so far this term.
Samuel Kalu is the fifth player on the list as he has been on Watford’s bench for 378 minutes this season. The former Bordeaux winger has made eight appearances for the club since he arrived in January totaling 97 minutes.
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