When N’golo Kante left Leicester City for Chelsea in the summer of 2016, the Blues were arguably signing the best defensive midfielder in the world.
Following Leicester’s remarkable Premier League title triumph, and considering Kante’s starring role throughout the campaign, it was inevitable that the Frenchman would be snapped up by an elite club at the end of the season.
Over the past few years, many players have been given the almost impossible task of filling Kante’s boots at the King Power Stadium.
Daniel Amartey, Nampalys Mendy, and Hamza Choudhury have all featured in front of the Foxes’ back four since Kante’s departure. But one man has stood out from the rest.
Wilfred Ndidi was signed from Belgian club Genk during the 2016/17 winter transfer window, and he has since established himself as one of the best holding midfielders in the business.
Of course, replacing Kante was never going to be easy. But Ndidi has given it his best shot, and the Foxes are now reaping the rewards.
The table below shows just how much of an impact the Nigerian has made on Leicester and also how important he is for the team.
The following stats have been collected since Ndidi made his debut for Leicester in January 2017.
LEICESTER CITY IN ALL COMPETITIONS SINCE JANAURY 2017
WITH NDIDI
WITHOUT NDIDI
GAMES
130
52
WIN PERCENTAGE
45%
29%
LOSS PERCENTAGE
34%
42%
GOALS FOR PER GAME
1.6
1.3
GOALS CONCEDED PER GAME
1.2
1.5
As you can see, Leicester are a far better side with Ndidi in the team. The Foxes clearly struggle without their talismanic midfielder, and this is reflected in the stats.
Perhaps the most alarming statistic is the difference in win percentage. Leicester have won 45% of their games when Ndidi is playing, as opposed to just 29% without him.
Given Ndidi’s excellent defensive awareness, it’s no surprise that Leicester also concede fewer goals with the 23-year-old in the team.
No one is exactly sure when the Premier League season will resume or how it will be decided. But Leicester supporters will no doubt be hoping their star man stays with the club for years to come.
Just like Kante in 2016, Ndidi is understandably attracting a lot of attention from bigger clubs. The combative Nigerian has made a name for himself at Leicester. But if the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City come calling, Ndidi will surely find it difficult to turn them down.