Man United Opinion: Wilfried Ndidi would be a massive coup for the Red Devils
According to Manchester Evening News, Man United have been linked with a move for Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi in the summer transfer window, with reports claiming that the Red Devils are in the market for a new central midfielder.
United are not the only Premier League side to have been credited with an interest in the highly-rated 22-year-old combative ace, with Manchester Evening News suggesting that Liverpool and Arsenal have also been monitoring his progress closely.
The Nigerian, though flattered by all the speculations surrounding his future in the Premier League, has made it clear that he wants to completely focus on the Super Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations campaign which is set to get underway later in the month. (h/t Manchester Evening News)
Ndidi was an ever-present at the heart of Leicester’s midfield this past season, with the Nigerian featuring regularly under both Claude Puel and Brendan Rodgers.
The 22-year-old made a total of 40 appearances for the Foxes in all competitions, with his consistently impressive and energetic displays in the middle of the park earning him rave reviews from fans and pundits alike.
The Nigerian rose to prominence in Europe with Belgian giants Genk and carved out a reputation for himself as a hard-working and tough-tackling defensive midfielder in Belgium.
The youngster made a total of 83 appearances for Genk in all competitions over the course of two seasons, scoring on 7 occasions before Leicester City swooped for him in January 2017 to bring him to the Premier League.
Brought in by Leicester to fill the void left by the departure of N’Golo Kante to Chelsea, Ndidi made an instant impact in English football and also impressed in the Foxes 2016-17 Champions League campaign. The Nigerian quickly established himself as one of the best young players in the Premier League and his stocks have soared sky-high over the past couple of campaigns.
Essentially a defensive midfielder by trade, Ndidi has the talent, potential and temperament to emulate the success of someone like N’Golo Kante in the years to come.
Agreed, he is not the finished article just yet and there is still a long way to go before he becomes as proficient as the Frenchman, but few would dare to argue that he is an incredibly talented individual with a lot of hunger and desire to achieve success.
A full-fledged international for Nigeria, Ndidi has 26 senior caps for the Super Eagles under his belt and was a part of his nation’s squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
He has already racked up a total of 101 appearances for Leicester City in all competitions till date, figures which indicate that he is already a very established footballer in the Premier League at the tender age of 22.
To put things into perspective, Ole Gunnar Solskajer is seemingly aiming for a youthful overhaul of his squad this summer and the Norwegian has made his intentions very clear with the acquisition of Swansea City starlet Daniel James.
Indeed, United have a lot of deadwood in their squad to get rid of and the arrival of some young and talented players should go a long way towards helping the manager build a squad in his own image.
While reinforcements at centre-back and right-back continue to be a priority for United this summer following their woeful defensive displays last season, the Red Devils should also consider bolstering their central midfield with some fresh blood.
The departure of experienced midfielders like Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini has left the club short of options in the middle of the park, and given that the likes of Fred and Nemanja Matic performer well below-par last season, United need to look for upgrades in the market. And that is exactly why they should make Wilfred Ndidi a top priority this summer.
Advertised as a tough-tackling and all-action combative midfielder capable of playing both defensive and box-to-box roles in the middle, Ndidi’s sharpness, agility and hardworking nature coupled with his impressive range of passing, ability to break up the play and carry the ball forward with pace should help United improve massively in the central midfield.
Not only does he have the ability to shield the backline with his game-reading and tackling skills, but Ndidi is also a wonderful distance shooter, who has a reputation for scoring screamers from outside the box.
The 22-year-old averaged 3.4 aerial duels, 3.8 tackles, 2.2 interceptions, 2.1 clearances, 0.6 key passes and 2.4 successful long balls per game in the Premier League last term and those eye-watering figures should be enough to convince the Red Devils that he is exactly the man that they need to add more steel and substance to their midfield.
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Having said that, Leicester City are unlikely to let Wilfred Ndidi depart on the cheap but United should not hesitate to test the Foxes’ resolve over the talented youngster with their financial muscle. All in all, the prospect of a move to Old Trafford is likely to appeal to the Nigerian and United should complete this deal at all costs.
