EFL Championship winners Leicester City could yet have the services of Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi to call upon according to boss, Enzo Maresca. The 27-year-old, who has spent the last seven years with the Foxes, is out of contract at the end of this season. However, Maresca has not ruled out Ndidi agreeing terms on a new contract following their promotion.
In
a reflective interview with the Leicester Mercury, Maresca said that he had
already turned his attention to next season. With a possible points deduction
and transfer embargo for the Foxes’ Financial Fair Play failings, retaining the
likes of Ndidi could be invaluable in their quest to avoid an immediate return
to the second tier.
Leicester
don’t have to worry about the drama of the Championship playoffs, having taken
the automatic promotion route. Leeds United missed out on a top two finish but
remain the bookmakers’ favourites to win the playoffs. Betano, a Nigerian-licensed online football
betting platform, currently has the Whites priced as +150 favourites, only
narrowly ahead of Southampton (+165), before a ball has been kicked of the
playoff semi-finals.
Maresca moots the possibility of
using Ndidi as a forward-thinking centreback
While
the playoff quartet stress about the prospect of Wembley, Maresca is already
mulling over the make-up of his Premier League backline. He said that Ndidi
“could be an option” as a ball-playing centre half for Leicester next season.
The Italian mentioned him in the same breath as the likes of Wout Faes and
Hamza Choudhury, who are both contracted to the club next season.
Leicester
may have some Premier League competition for Ndidi’s signature if reports are
to be believed. Sean Dyche’s Everton are said to have made a formal contract
offer to Ndidi, who will be a free agent this summer if no fresh terms are
agreed at the King Power Stadium.
SOURCE:Photo
Ndidi
is unlikely to be short of suitors outside of England either. Turkish giants,
Galatasaray, have also been credited with a
long-standing interest. With Galatasaray hoping to tempt him with the offer of
Champions League football, this could be another intriguing alternative if he
wants to try a different football culture with his next move.
Ndidi’s
2023/24 campaign started very promisingly. He was utilized in a more advanced
box-to-box midfielder role, rather than the holding midfielder role he’d been
used to for several years prior to Maresca’s appointment. However, injury over
the festive season forced Ndidi out of action for the best part of two-to-three
months in the New Year. When he returned to action for the season run-in, he
looked like someone playing catch-up against teams with fully fit players.
Ndidi’s Nigerian Leicester City
teammate is also heading for the exit door
Ndidi’s
compatriot Kelechi Iheanacho looks more certain to be
leaving Leicester this summer. The former Manchester City striker has had
limited game time this term, partly because of his decision not to even
negotiate new terms on a contract which expires this summer. He was very coy
when quizzed about his future, admitting he “didn’t know for now” about where
he’d be playing his football in 2024/25.
Everton
could be another possible move for Iheanacho too, with the cash-strapped
Toffees almost certain to be on the lookout for bargain signings this summer.
However, the team with the most concrete interest in Iheanacho is said to be
Aston Villa. Unai Emery is very keen on the 27-year-old. Villa’s president of
football operations, Monchi, has reportedly met with Iheanacho’s
representatives face-to-face to iron out a deal.
From the point of view of the Super Eagles, who recently appointed Finidi George as their new head coach, fresh starts for Ndidi and Iheanacho can only be a good thing. It’s an opportunity for both players to regain their hunger and desire. It’s been an emotional roller-coaster at Leicester in the last two seasons. Moves away from the King Power Stadium should enable the pair to find themselves again.
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