Leicester City are set for a huge boost as midfielder Wilfred Ndidi could return from injury earlier than expected.
Wilfred Ndidi has been an invaluable cog in Enzo Maresca’s winning machine this term.
A ball-winning midfielder by trade, who has been transformed into an attacking midfielder under Maresca, Ndidi was thriving in his new role.
The 27-year-old enjoyed ghosting into the box and occupying pockets of space in and around the penalty area.
In 21 Championship appearances, he registered two goals and five assists, while his underlying numbers were equally impressive.
According to FBref, he ranks in the top 4% against his positional peers in the division for assists per 90, top 4% for touches (att pen) and top 6% for non-penalty xG.
After transforming into one of the best number 8’s in the league, Ndidi was unfortunately struck down with a serious muscle injury in the 2-0 victory over Cardiff City in late December.
The Nigerian was initially ruled out for up to three months, potentially meaning he wouldn’t play again for the club until early April.
However, after making a quick recovery from surgery, he’s optimistic about returning to action a lot sooner than expected.
Wilfred Ndidi could return to action next month
Speaking to Sky Sports following last night’s 1-1 draw against Ipswich, Ndidi said: “The injury’s alright, I’m getting there. It’s two weeks post surgery. Hopefully in a couple of weeks, I’ll be back.”
When asked about whether it was a couple of weeks until he was training or playing, he added: “A couple of weeks to play.”
This is a timely boost for Leicester, who are seriously short on numbers in the middle of the park.
Cesare Casadei was recalled from his loan by Chelsea and the Foxes have been unable to get a deal for Inter Milan midfielder Stefano Sensi over the line as of yet.
Of course, there is confidence that a deal for the Italian is close to being agreed, but Maresca still desperately misses Ndidi.
How much do Leicester miss Ndidi?
Maresca may have one of the most expensive squads available to him in the division, however, that still doesn’t alter the fact losing key players will hurt.
Ndidi is the fulcrum of the Foxes’ midfield, providing the strength and power to slot perfectly alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Harry Winks.
Without him, Maresca was forced into playing Hamza Choudhury against Ipswich, but he’s unable to fill the Nigerian’s void and the sooner he returns, the better.
He’s the driving force behind their attacks centrally and offers a threat at the top end of the pitch, as demonstrated by his FBref statistics.
Add Sensi into the mix, and Maresca has some seriously good midfield options to choose from.