LEICESTER City have shown their appreciation for Wilfred Ndidi’s efforts at the club with a special celebration of the fifth anniversary of his arrival at the club.
The Super Eagles midfielder joined the English Premier League club from Belgium’s Genk for around €18 million on 3 January 2017.
He has since grown to become one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe and is now valued at around €60m.
The Nigeria international is contracted to Leicester City until 2024 and the club are apparently happy to have him.
In celebrating Ndidi, Leicester City posted a reel of his highlights (in text) at the club for the past five years.
“On this day, five years ago, Wilfred Ndidi became a Leicester City player and has since provided several memorable moments in the Club’s recent history,” Leicester City wrote on their official website on Monday.
“Arriving from Belgium side Genk, the 25-year-old quickly became a mainstay in City’s midfield, playing 191 matches for the Club across all competitions, scoring 10 times.
The fact that 180 of those were starts demonstrates the Lagos native’s importance to the team.”
Some of the highlights the club noted include Ndidi’s opening goal against Chelsea at the beginning of the 2019/2020 season.
He also scored against Chelsea in January 2021.
Leicester City are however more appreciative of the other aspects of Ndidi’s game.
“Rather than goals, though, the combative Nigerian is known much more for his imposing presence in the middle of the park, characterising the Foxes’ never-say-die attitude,” the club wrote.
“Ndidi has made more tackles than any other Leicester player in every full season he has been at the Club, a list he also tops midway through this term with 47 to his name.
“In 2017/18 and 2018/19, no other Premier League player came close to his number of tackles. In fact, he has remained within the top six players in the league for tackles ever since.”
Leicester City also recalled Ndidi’s first goal for the club, when he scored with a long-range effort just four minutes after coming on against Derby County in an FA Cup tie in February 2017.
“The midfielder has also showed his adaptability to move into a centre-back role across recent seasons, when required, including on the opening day of the 2020/21 campaign, maintaining a clean sheet in a 3-0 away triumph at West Bromwich Albion,” Leicester City added.
“Most recently against Liverpool, the former Genk star was, due to injuries and illness, deployed in a defensive role alongside Daniel Amartey and the makeshift backline produced an admirable performance to keep the Reds out and earn a morale-boosting victory.
City are the only team in the Premier League this season that have registered a shutout against Jürgen Klopp’s men.”
Leicester City won their first-ever FA Cup in 2021, with Ndidi playing a pivotal role in the triumph.
The club wrote: “The highlight of his career to date, though, came on 15 May, 2021, as Leicester City lifted England’s most prestigious cup competition for the first time in their history, defeating Chelsea 1-0.
“It was fitting that, after providing his debut and maiden goal for the Club, the FA Cup would also deliver his first trophy.
“Ndidi played from start to finish on that special day at Wembley Stadium, alongside midfield partner and goalscorer Youri Tielemans and will always be remembered as a part of that history-making, FA Cup-winning team. He went on to play a role in the FA Community Shield win at the same venue, overcoming Manchester City three months later. “
