Vultures circle for Man Utd target as Real tipped to move for Leicester ace
A report in Spain claims Real Madrid are set to firm up their long-held interest in Leicester City star Wilfred Ndidi and may make a move in the January transfer window.
Ndidi, 24, has been with the Foxes since January 2017 when they paid Genk £17m for his services. The midfielder has been a vital part of the club’s success, anchoring midfield over 153 Premier League games. The Nigeria international has enjoyed 186 outings in all competitions, scoring nine times for the East Midlanders.
But his primary function is to disrupt opposition attacks and provide a screen for the Leicester rearguard. He does it exceptionally well and a number of high-profile clubs have taken note.
Manchester United were linked last May but both Real and Paris Saint-Germain were also thought to be keen. And now Fichajes are reporting that Los Blancos could look to do a deal in the new year.
That is because manager Carlo Ancelotti has lost faith in Casemiro. The 29-year-old does a similar job to Ndidi for the Spanish giants and has made 301 appearances in all competitions.
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The Brazil international has been on Real’s books since the summer of 2013, having enjoyed a loan stint before penning permanent terms. He has made 10 starts among 11 LaLiga outings but is not performing to the expected level.
Real have still managed to churn out some decent results and sit second in the table – one point behind table-topping Real Sociedad. But his days at the Bernabeu may be numbered if the report turns out to be true.
It is claimed that Ancelotti feels he is no longer able to apply the necessary pressure on opponents in midfield. He wants an upgrade and Ndidi seems perfect.
Man Utd urged to sign Ndidi
Real’s main rivals to sign the African appear to be the Red Devils. Despite a plethora of attacking talent in the ranks, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not getting the balance right.
The Old Trafford giants are on a poor run of form and pressure is mounting. Former United star Luke Chadwick recently suggested they should move for Ndidi.
“Ndidi is a bit of a shining light at Leicester,” he said. “He does that defensive midfield job really well, covers a lot of ground, uses the ball really effectively. He’s not that spectacular in his style but he’s a good passer on the ball.”
And the 40-year-old feels the Lagos-born ace might follow the example of a couple of his former Leicester stars.
“Ndidi certainly fits the bill and I’m sure if the finances are there then he’d be a target,” he added. “Leicester are more of a selling team, as we’ve seen the likes of Kante and Mahrez who’ve gone on to bigger clubs.”
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