Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has emerged as a top target for Manchester United ahead of the January transfer window.
The Red Devils have made reinforcing the midfield their top priority after their early struggles in the new Premier League season. They dropped points in back-to-back home games against Aston Villa and Everton respectively, with the dysfunctional midfield giving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a lot of problems.
According to Spanish news outlet Fichajes, Manchester United are considering making a move for Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi in the winter transfer window.
Wilfred Ndidi, 24, has been one of the most consistent and reliable midfielders in the Premier League in recent years, developing into a key performer in Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City side. However, he hasn’t been at his best this season with the Foxes lying 13th in the table ahead of their game against Manchester United on Saturday.
The Nigerian international suffered a hamstring injury in Leicester’s 2-2 draw with Burnley last month that has ruled him out for four to five weeks.
Wilfred Ndidi to Manchester United — The player they need?
Despite their apparent problems in midfield for several seasons now, Manchester United chose not to address that area in the summer. They spent big on the likes of Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo and while they’re all high-profile additions to the squad, failure to bring in a midfielder has already cost them points this season.
The double-pivot pairing of Fred and Scott McTominay have been hit and miss under the management of Solskjaer. With Paul Pogba out of contract at the end of the season, Nemanja Matic not getting any younger and Donny Van de Beek finding it difficult to get into the team at the moment, there’s an acceptance within the club to address the problems in midfield in the New Year.
A defensive midfielder is the Red Devils’ need of the hour, someone who can singlehandedly do the job that Fred and McTominay do as a pair in the double-pivot. In that regard, Wilfred Ndidi could be ideal for Solskjaer’s Reds.
Ndidi is regarded among the best in his position in the Premier League, where he has made 152 appearances, netting seven goals to date. The 24-year-old is a tenacious tackler, extremely hard-working and has solid technical ability on the ball.
The Lagos-born holding midfielder may not be the most expansive of passers and creative on the ball but he does have the ability to control the tempo of the game with short, crisp passing.
The former Genk man’s positional awareness, engine and doggedness would make him a great addition to the Manchester United squad. If the Red Devils manage to tie Pogba to a contract extension, Ndidi could be the Frenchman’s perfect partner in the middle of the park.
The Nigerian international would be an instant upgrade over Fred, whilst solving one of Solskjaer’s biggest problems for the best part of the decade.
Thus, Manchester United must take advantage of Leicester’s indifferent start to the season and go all out for Ndidi in January.