Iheanacho and Ndidi have both been at Leicester for seven years and have played vital roles for the club during that time. They were both key in Leicester City’s FA Cup victory in 2021. However, Iheanacho has plummeted down the club’s pecking order during the last two years. He did not get enough playing time two seasons ago, and it became worse last season, with the Super Eagles star making only 23 appearances and scoring five goals.
Ndidi, on the other hand, contributed significantly to Leicester City’s elevation to the Premier League last season, scoring four goals and assisting five times in 32 appearances. However, Iheanacho’s and Ndidi’s futures have been uncertain because their contracts were set to expire at the end of the season but were not renewed. It was evident that Leicester City no longer wanted Iheanacho, but Ndidi has always been a consistent performer. Leicester announced on Saturday which players would be leaving the club, and Iheanacho’s name was among them. Surprisingly, the club confirmed that they were still in talks with Ndidi over a new contract.
It is probable that the Nigerian midfield general is negotiating for a greater salary. Or he could just want to play for a major club, especially as he is nearing the end of his career. Both parties have yet to strike an agreement, but if the Foxes offer enough money, Ndidi will remain at the King Power.
Kelechi Iheanacho has played his final game for Leicester City, but Wilfred Ndidi could yet sign a contract with the club. City has issued their retained list, which reveals that Iheanacho, along with Marc Albrighton and Dennis Praet, will leave the King Power Stadium at the conclusion of their contracts. The striker leaves after seven years in which he scored 61 goals in 232 matches.
He will be best known for his heroics during the club’s march to FA Cup victory, and while he had glimpses of brilliance, he was also infuriatingly unreliable, which was exacerbated by having to play second fiddle to Jamie Vardy so frequently. This season, Iheanacho shared the lead striker responsibilities with the number nine, but injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations saw him dethroned by Patson Daka in the pecking order, with the Nigerian making his final league start in December.
However, his countryman Ndidi’s future has still to be determined. The club said they are in talks with the midfielder, who revitalized his City career in the Championship by playing in a more advanced position. The retained list confirms Albrighton and Praet’s departures, despite the fact that both players had previously stated their intentions to leave. For Albrighton, it brings to a close a decade at the King Power Stadium in which he was a key player in the club’s remarkable rescue from relegation, Premier League title triumph, journey to the Champions League quarter-finals, and 2021 FA Cup victory.
The club stated in a statement: “Marc’s brilliance, hard effort, and commitment over the decade since arriving at King Power Stadium on a free transfer earned him the admiration of the Blue Army, and he will be regarded as having played a major role throughout the club’s greatest-ever era. The club respects all three departing players for their services during their time at Leicester City and wishes them all the best in the future phases of their careers.”
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