Leicester City have been rocked by the news that midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is set to miss three months of action ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup third round clash with Millwall.
The 26-year-old missed the Foxes emphatic 4-1 win over Huddersfield Town on New Year’s Day, a result which extended their lead at the top of the Championship to 10 points. Cesare Casadei deputised in his absence, making his first start since November.
Ndidi has been pivotal to Leicester’s success this season, making 24 appearances in all competitions whilst providing four goals and six assists. However, the Nigerian international’s contract scenario continues to be a thorn in manager Enzo Maresca’s side, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the campaign.
Spanish giants Barcelona have been heavily linked to the star, whilst Sevilla and Juventus are also said to be watching the situation closely. He is now free to discuss terms with overseas clubs, although it has been previously indicated that he is happy with life at the King Power Stadium.
Fresh terms have not been ruled out, although promotion back to the Premier League would play a major role in any discussions. With that looking increasingly likely, Leicester can remain relaxed about the situation.
Ndidi was due to travel to the African Cup of Nations this month, but he will now remain in the East Midlands to recover from a muscle issue, as confirmed earlier today by Maresca:
“Probably for Wilf, it will be a long time,” the manager told the media ahead of tomorrow’s game. “It could be three months. It looks like a muscular problem, but an important one, so we will see in the next hours but the situation for Wilf is probably the clearest one.”
In a further blow, Maresca added that striker Kelechi Iheanacho is also set for a spell on the sidelines:
“The only thing I can say it that Kel is still injured. It’s getting better but it’s still not 100 per cent otherwise he would be in the squad for tomorrow and he’s not in the squad.”
Leicester are next back in Championship action next weekend when they travel the short distance to a rejuvenated Coventry City.
Writer’s View
Losing a player of Ndidi’s quality is a huge blow for Leicester City. However, they have more than enough options to cover and Casadei will now be hoping for an extended run in the team.
In an uncanny twist of fate, the Nigerian international’s injury may aid their pursuit to keep the player, with interested parties unlikely to consider making contact whilst he nurses his injury. By the time he recovers, the Foxes could almost be guaranteed a place in next season’s Premier League, which could be enough to convince the midfielder to extend his seven-year stay at the club.
Head of Writing
