Besiktas SK has completed the signing of Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi permanently from Leicester City for a reported fee of €9.5 million.
The 28-year-old midfielder signed a three-year contract with the option of an additional year with The Turkish Club, ending his eight-and-a-half-year stint at the King Power Stadium. Juventus, Manchester United, Al Ahli, and Valencia were all credited with an interest in Ndidi. However, Besiktas made a bold move and beat other clubs to his signature. The Turkish club finished 4th in the Super Lig last season and is heavily focused on bolstering its squad ahead of the new season to compete evenly against Champions Galatasaray and runners-up Fenerbahce.
The long-serving defensive midfielder was the engine room of Leicester’s midfield during his long stint with The West Midlands Club, ever reliable and ever present. Wilfred Ndidi was brought in as a replacement for N’Golo Kanté from Genk in 2017, and established himself as a perfect anchor for the club’s midfield. A dedicated team player and an exemplary leader, he deputised at the heart of the defence whenever the occasion called for it.
He closed the curtain on a successful career in Leicester that saw him pick up winners’ medals in the FA Cup and Community Shield while leading them to consecutive fifth-place finishes in the Premier League. He fired The Foxes to Premier League promotion from The EFL Championship in 2024. He made 303 appearances in all competitions, scoring 18 goals.
In an exclusive interview with Besiktas’ YouTube channel, he expressed his happiness and satisfaction with the move, indicating his desire to achieve big things with the club. He said: “I’m really happy to be here, I feel great, it’s really incredible to be here. I had offers from different clubs, but when I saw Besiktas I said, Besiktas is one of the big clubs in Turkey.
I also wanted to try a different league, so I was very keen to come to Besiktas. I just want to say to the fans: enjoy the game, enjoy the season. I think it’s going to be a really great season. I’m very happy to be here, I’m very excited, let’s have a good season for all of us.“
Experienced, tireless, versatile, technically adept, and boasting an impressive fitness record, he is a marquee addition to Black and Whites. He becomes the latest Nigerian player to swap Europe’s top five leagues for the Turkish League, following in the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, Paul Onuachu, and Henry Onyekuru.
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