Nicolas Nkoulou: Watford sign defender on free transfer

Watford have signed Cameroon defender Nicolas Nkoulou on a free transfer until the end of the season.

Nkoulou, 31, was without a club after leaving Italian side Torino in the summer.

He becomes new boss Claudio Ranieri's first signing since replacing Xisco Munoz, who was sacked on Sunday with Watford 14th in the Premier League.

Prior to his spell in Serie A, the centre-back played in France for Monaco, Marseille and Lyon.

Nkoulou has made 75 appearances for his country, playing in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups and winning the African Cup of Nations in 2017.

The Hornets were able to register Nkoulou in their Premier League squad as they left two spaces available at the end of the summer transfer window.

Watford were in need of defensive reinforcements after Francisco Sierralta and Christian Kabasele picked up hamstring injuries in Saturday's defeat at Leeds.

Chile centre-back Sierralta is expected to return in three weeks, but Kabasele is to spend "a longer period" of time out of action.

The injuries left Craig Cathcart and William Troost-Ekong the only fit senior centre-backs at the club prior to Nkoulou's arrival.

The injured duo are joined on the sidelines by striker Joshua King, who suffered a ligament strain at Elland Road and is set to be out for two weeks.

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