Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is reportedly linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The Nigerian international, 24, has established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League in recent years, racking up 187 appearances across all competitions for Leicester City since arriving from Belgian club Genk in January 2017, scoring nine goals and supplying 11 assists along the way.
The midfield destroyer’s performances with the Foxes saw him catch the eye of Manchester United, although, no deal materialised in the past transfer window.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes (h/t the Leicester Mercury), Real Madrid are plotting a January swoop for Wilfred Ndidi, who has a contract at the King Power Stadium until 2024. The report adds that Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti is frustrated with the form of Casemiro and is ready to replace the Brazilian with the £52m-rated Leicester star.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not Real Madrid, who have been tracking the Nigerian for the past three years, will be ready to meet the Foxes’ valuation for their midfield anchor.
Wilfred Ndidi to Real Madrid—A solid midfield addition to Carlo Ancelotti’s squad?
The midfield trio of Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos has been nothing but an enviable asset to Real Madrid, helping the club to lots of titles and trophies in the last six to seven years. However, with Modric, at 36, in the twilight of his career, Kroos already in his 30s and Casemiro not convincing with his performances over the last two seasons, it’s time for Real to start their midfield revamp from January onwards.
The summer signing of highly-rated Eduardo Camavinga from Rennes is a step in the right direction but if Los Blancos are to rise again and rule Europe, they’ll need to make more such exciting additions to their squad. This makes the signing of Wilfred Ndidi perfect for the La Liga heavyweights.
A defensive midfielder by trade, Ndidi excels with his passing, interception, tackling and game reading skills. He is a physically strong and aerially competent operator who never shies away from going toe-to-toe with players of intimidating statures. The Nigerian international has a good recovery pace and an engine that allows him to do the dirty job in the Leicester midfield, giving the creative players the license to express themselves freely in the final third.
The ex-Genk man is a powerful striker of the ball and has some long-range belters under his banner at Leicester. At 24, Ndidi also has room to develop into a more complete midfielder and can be a long-term asset for Real Madrid.
The Nigerian’s tough-tackling, tenacity and passing skills make him a firm candidate to help solve Ancelotti’s immediate midfield woes. Thus, it’s time for Real Madrid to finally loosen the purse strings and land Wilfred Ndidi in the upcoming transfer windows.