Newly appointed Leicester City manager Steve Cooper will reportedly give Wilfred Ndidi one more week to decide whether or not he wants to continue his stay with the club.
Cooper was announced as Enzo Maresca’s replacement last week after the latter swapped the dugout of the King Power Stadium for Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.
The former Swansea City and Nottingham Forest boss is already planning his squad for the next season but it remains uncertain whether he would be able to count on Nididi. The Nigeria international played an important role in Leicester’s Championship campaign last season as they earned promotion to the Premier League.
The 27-year-old contributed six goals and six assists, leading to the Foxes opening talks over a contract extension. As it stands, though, Ndidi’s current deal will expire at the end of June and both player and club are yet to agree on an extension.
Leicester City to move on if Wilfred Ndidi fails to commit future
While Leicester have already made known their desire to keep the midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi has been linked with several clubs in the Premier League and abroad.
The former Genk midfielder has been at liberty to sign a pre-contract with another club since January but has not exercised that option, indicating he is still interested in extending his stay at Leicester.
This latest report, however, suggests the Foxes’ new manager Cooper would want to know Ndidi’s final decision as soon as possible. According to Filbert Way, Leicester are ready to consider other options if the midfielder decides to end his time with the club.
Manchester City youngster James McAtee, who excelled on loan at Championship side Sheffield United last season, is said to be high on Leicester’s list of potential replacements for Ndidi.
Meanwhile, Ndidi’s options remain open irrespective of whether he stays at Leicester or not. The Nigeria international is reportedly being courted by Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Brentford and Aston Villa.
In recent weeks, Lyon and Barcelona have also been reported to have registered an interest in signing the midfielder on a free transfer.
