Leicester City’s 27-year-old midfield dynamo Wilfred Ndidi could be coming to the end of his seven-year association with the club. The Lagos-born midfielder, who joined the Foxes from Belgian side Genk in 2017, is out of contract in the summer with plenty of clubs vying for his signature.
It’s possible the Foxes remain in negotiations with Ndidi’s agent. Leicester may believe Ndidi has a sense of loyalty to the club. A loyalty that could convince him to sign a new long-term deal, especially since they regained their top-flight status.
City ended up getting automatic promotion back to the Premier League in the leading position. Leicester remained the favourites throughout the season with Betano, a licensed online football betting operator in Nigeria, to lift the Championship title ahead of Leeds United, Ipswich Town and Southampton. Leicester also had a deep run into the last eight of the FA Cup, where they were drawn to face long-time rivals, Chelsea.
However, there is talk of Leicester being in danger of falling foul of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, which could lead to points deduction at the start of next season, whichever division they are in. If FFP does bare its teeth for Leicester, they may not be able to compete financially with the kind of wages other clubs courting Ndidi’s service are offering.
What is the next likely destination for Ndidi?
Spanish La Liga giants Barcelona were reported to have a strong interest in Ndidi. The Nigerian’s availability on a Bosman free transfer would make sound business sense for the Catalan club, who themselves are still walking the FFP tightrope.
In addition, Turkish media group, A Spor, disclosed that Turkish outfit Galatasaray are very keen on signing Ndidi for next season. Sport reporters state that Ndidi has been on Galatasaray’s radar for the best part of 12 months and were said to have had a move for him rebuffed by Leicester last summer.
Galatasaray would be a potentially intriguing move for Ndidi to make. Although the Turkish domestic league is by no means as strong as the English Premier League, there is every chance that Gala will be competing in the UEFA Champions League, somewhere that Ndidi is desperate to return to.
How is Ndidi’s fitness?
In the New Year, Leicester were rocked by the news that Ndidi would be sidelined for up to three months with a severe muscle injury. However, within a matter of weeks, the Foxes revealed the injury was less serious than initially feared, allowing him to play a key role in City’s promotion run-in.
Ndidi has been utilised slightly differently under new Leicester boss, Enzo Maresca, compared with former Foxes managers. In previous years, Ndidi has plied his trade as a defensive midfielder, screening the back line with poise and purpose. However, this year, Ndidi has been used as a more advanced, box-to-box midfielder to good effect. His stamina and ball-carrying abilities have certainly made him a dynamic option as a number eight rather than a number six.
In truth, Ndidi and Leicester may now bear the fruits of the 27-year-old missing out on featuring for the Super Eagles in the African Cup of Nations. Nigeria qualified for this year’s final, having faced Angola in the last eight after being defeated in the final by the host nation, Côte d’Ivore. Having fully recovered from his muscle problems, Ndidi has had a clear run until the end of the season. After a roller-coaster seven-year stint at the King Power Stadium, Ndidi may well view promotion back to the big time as a fine way to sign off from the Foxes, having joined the club as recent Premier League winners.
