Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is on the verge of leaving Leicester City after agreeing personal terms with Nottingham Forest ahead of a proposed move.
EXCLUSIVE: Nottingham Forest set to bid for Wilfred Ndidi, proposal expected to be submitted soon for Nigerian DM as he’s top target 🚨🔴🌳 #NFFC
Understand personal terms have been agreed and negotiations will now start between clubs.
Forest will push to make it happen. pic.twitter.com/l9ionCDLaq
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 27, 2023
Ndidi has emerged as a top target for Forest, and the Premier League side are pushing to get a deal over the line before Friday’s transfer deadline.
Forest are expected to table an opening offer soon for Ndidi as they look to bolster their squad.
A switch to the City Ground would see Wilfred Nddii make an immediate return to the top tier of English football after suffering relegation to the Championship with his current employers back in May.
Wilfred Ndidi’s performance for Leicester so far
Following Ngolo Kante’s move to Chelsea in 2016, Wilfred Ndidi was signed from Belgian outfit Genk in January 2017 to be Leicester’s new anchorman in midfield.
The 26-year-old took to life at King Power Stadium like a duck to water as he made an instant impact with his ball-winning skills.
Over the next five campaigns, Ndidi led the Premier League in tackles per game three times and finished second on two occasions, establishing himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the division.
However, Ndidi had a season to forget last time out as he struggled for both form and fitness. His decline was one of the contributing factors to Leicester’s relegation.
Life in the Championship has kicked off somewhat on a positive note for Ndidi, who has won all of his four league matches so far, starting three of them.
The arrival of Chelsea loanee Cesare Casadei has, however, put Ndidi’s position in the starting XI under serious threat but that could become inconsequential in a couple of days as he closes in on a move to Forest.
Why Forest need Wilfred Ndidi
Forest endured a tough return to the English top flight but just about managed to stay afloat, finishing four points outside the bottom three last season.
Steven Cooper’s men lacked the services of a ball-winner in midfield, with their defenders leading the way for both tackles and interceptions.
For proper context, Remo Freuler was top in both of the aforementioned categories amongst all midfielders in his team but did not make it into the top 50 of the Premier League.
If Forest are to avoid another relegation scrap, they need someone who can sniff out danger, and it is no surprise that they were previously linked with a move for Ibrahim Sanagre.
Ndidi has shown how good he can be at mopping up attacks in the middle of the park, so Forest’s interest in him makes perfect sense.
Wilfred Ndidi’s Premier League move vital for the Super Eagles
🚨 Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has reportedly agreed personal terms on a deal to join Premier league side Nottingham Forest.
If the deal happens, he'll become the 4th Super Eagles player at the club:
🇳🇬 Taiwo Awoniyi
🇳🇬 Emmanuel Dennis
🇳🇬 Ola Aina
⏳ Wilfred Ndidi pic.twitter.com/Cd8bxRPioU— A2Z Football Hub 🟡⚫ (@a2zfootballhub) August 27, 2023
A return to top form for Wilfred Ndidi would also come as a big boost for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, who have seen their star midfielder become a shadow of himself over the last 12 months.
While his place on the national team has remained constant, Ndidi’s performances have gone on a downward spiral, which does not make for good reading.
Should he complete a move to Forest, Ndidi is set to team up alongside fellow countrymen Taiwo Awoniyi, Emmanuel Dennis and Ola Aina.
The potential chemistry between those players could come in handy for the Super Eagles when they are next on international duty.
This article was most recently revised and updated 2 months ago
