By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has completed a permanent move to Turkish giants Beşiktaş, bringing an end to his eight-and-a-half-year spell at Leicester City.
The 27-year-old has signed a three-year contract with the Istanbul club, running through to 2028, with an option for a one-year extension. As part of the deal, Beşiktaş will pay Leicester City a transfer fee of €8 million.
Beşiktaş moved swiftly to secure Ndidi’s signature, fending off interest from clubs including Manchester United and Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli.
Ndidi leaves behind a legacy at the King Power Stadium, having won the FA Cup and Community Shield during his tenure. He was also instrumental in Leicester’s promotion back to the Premier League in the 2023–24 season, following their previous relegation.
However, the resurgence proved short-lived, as the Foxes suffered another drop from the top flight in the 2024–25 campaign — prompting a reshuffle that now sees one of their longest-serving players depart.
Ndidi’s move marks a new chapter in his career as he prepares to take on fresh challenges in the Turkish Süper Lig.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
