Ebbsfleet United are pleased to announce the return of defender Marvel Ekpiteta from Newport County to the Kuflink Stadium on a loan agreement through to January 2021.

The 25-year-old former Chelmsford City and Hungerford Town player enjoyed a successful loan spell with the Fleet last season, joining in October 2019 and impressing in his initial three-month spell to see the deal extended until the end of the season.

Ekpiteta played 25 times in all for the Fleet in 2019/20, scoring twice (against Chorley and Sutton United). Highly adaptable in the Fleet’s rearguard last season, Marvel was equally at home in a central role or as full-back on either side of the defence.

The London-born defender was on the books of Oxford United and Stevenage as a youngster before working his way up the non-league ranks with the likes of North Greenford United, Chelmsford City – where he played alongside his twin brother Marvin, now at Blackpool – and Bishop’s Stortford.

A move to Hungerford Town in 2018 saw Ekpiteta elevated to the captaincy and he was an ever-present fixture in the defence as he won a hat-trick of player-of-the-season awards. Off the back of an excellent campaign with the Crusaders, he was signed on a two-year deal by League Two club Newport County.

The Fleet are delighted to welcome Marvel back to the club – to sponsor him or any of our new signings, please contact Matthew Faithorn on 01474 533796 or email him at [email protected].