Leicester City could be set to lose midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Kelechi Iheanacho when the January transfer window opens, according to the latest reports.
Ndidi was one of a handful of stars that stuck around at the King Power Stadium after the team’s relegation from the top-flight last season but the Foxes may be resigned to losing the midfielder this winter.
The 26-year-old’s contract runs out at the end of the current campaign, meaning Leicester City risk losing their star man in the middle of the park for free in a few months’ time. However, TeamTalk are reporting that Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Brentford are considering making approaches for Ndidi in January.
The former Premier League champions are stuck in the same situation with Ndidi’s compatriot Iheanacho. The former Manchester City man is wanted by a number of clubs in the top tier and was even linked with a switch to Crystal Palace during the summer, although a move never materialised.
Brentford could lose star striker Ivan Toney in January so Iheanacho has become an option for the Bees up top.
TeamTalk have claimed that Leicester City head coach Enzo Maresca is keen to hold onto the pair and the club have even initiated contract talks with the two players, ‘but there has been no breakthrough’ yet.
Transfermarkt currently have Ndidi’s market value at £15.6 million, down from £21.6 million in the summer, while Iheanacho is said to be worth the same, bringing the duo’s total value to £31.2 million.
Writer’s View
Leicester City could potentially lose the pair for free at the end of the season should the Foxes fail to tie them down to new contracts so there is a real possibility that the duo leave in January. That way, the board can recuperate some funds for their Nigerian stars.
However, losing two key players could mean the wheels start to fall off a little, so it is of utmost importance that Leicester recruit some replacements to deal with the pitfalls of their potential exits.
