Wilfred Ndidi lands in Leicester

Ndidi   Picture: The Guardian

Nigerian starlet Wilfred Ndidi is now officially a Leicester player.

The 20-year-old signed for Premier League champions Leicester from Genk of Belgium for £15m, plus £3m in potential add-ons. The midfielder had the first part of his medical tests in December 2016 and concluded the final part on January 1, 2017.

Ndidi, fondly called “Teddy Bear” in Genk because he is charming, affable and loveable, is regarded as the perfect replacement for N’Golo Kanté, who moved to Chelsea after helping the Foxes to win the Premier League last season. He can play as a central defender, defensive midfielder or full back.

Roland Janssen, who was then Genk’s head of scouting, spotted Ndidi in a youth tournament in Lagos in September 2013.

“He immediately caught my attention,” Janssen, who has since moved to Manchester United, said in Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. “The composure he had on the ball was atypical for an African player of that age. He was only 16 but you could see his presence on the pitch.”

In January 2014 Janssen arranged a trial for Ndidi in Genk, the Belgian club that raised the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Divock Origi.

Domenico Olivieri, who was Genk’s development manager at the time, was impressed with the young Nigerian. “He gave me the impression he could become a top player. He thrived in ball-winning,” he said.

“His long legs were everywhere. Octopus-like. He was open-minded, too. He immediately integrated in the group, was open for advice and his work ethic was outstanding.”

However, Belgian laws say a club cannot give a contract to non-EU players under 18 so Genk had to wait for a year before signing Ndidi, a perfect gentleman. Even when he was not sure of getting a contract from Gent, he wrote a thank you letter to Oliveiri for giving him a chance to showcase his skills. Olivieri was highly impressed by the youngster’s good manners.

“A month after his trial I suddenly get a call from a number with an unknown foreign country code. It turned out to be Ndidi. He wanted to thank me for the opportunity he had been given. It was the first time that a trial player called me to say thanks. But that’s his personality,” Olivieri said.

In January 2015 Ndidi signed his first professional contract with Genk. The club paid Nathaniel Boys of Lagos £78,000 for signature. Genk has now made a serious “kill” on the young Nigerian, after selling him for £15m to Leicester.

Ndidi was a fan favourite in Genk due to his high work rate and charming personality. He scored the goal of the season in the Belgian league. Receiving a clearance outside the penalty box, he casually lofted the ball over an opposing player before releasing a fierce volley into the top right corner. The ball was said to travel at over 111 km/hr.

In the group stages of the Europa League this season, he made more tackles and interceptions than any other player. His performance drew interest from some of Europe’s top clubs such as Manchester United and Chelsea. But it was Leicester who acted fastest. Manager Claudio Ranieri called him and spoke for several minutes on the phone. And now he will start featuring for the English champions, alongside Ahmed Musa who was signed for £16m last summer.