Manchester United were unsuccessful in an attempt to sign Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi when he was a free agent last summer, a report has revealed.
The Red Devils were still led by Erik ten Hag at this point last year, and the Dutchman was keen to add to his engine room off the back of FA Cup glory at Wembley. United eventually signed Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain, but among the options they’d considered was Leicester’s Ndidi.
According to The Standard, United pursued the Nigerian international following the expiration of his Leicester contract last summer. Ndidi was a free agent for three weeks, with interest arriving from Fulham, Everton and West Ham United, but the midfielder opted to extend with the Foxes off the back of their promotion to the Premier League.
However, 2024–25 proved to be pretty disastrous for Leicester, who have returned to the second tier after notching just 25 points having parted ways with two managers. Steve Cooper’s replacement, Ruud van Nistelrooy, was sacked in June.
It’s understood that Ndidi, who appeared 28 times in the league last season, is available for £9 million ($12.2 million) this summer due to the relegation release clause included in the contract he signed in 2024, and the Red Devils have once again been linked with a move for the Nigeria international.
Midfield isn’t believed to be a major priority for United, who are prioritising the rejuvenation of their attack. After signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, United hope to wrap up a deal with Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo. It’s expected to be a very busy summer at Old Trafford, and bargain signings like Ndidi could appeal to the Red Devils later in the transfer window..
Ndidi, who has been at Leicester since 2017, wants out and there’s scope for the Nigerian midfielder to earn a Premier League move, especially given his price.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Report: Man Utd Transfer Target Rejected Old Trafford Move in 2024.
