By Dayo Awoniyi
Beşiktaş manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has described the signing of Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi as a crucial step in the club’s pursuit of the Turkish Super Lig title.
Ndidi, 27, joined the Istanbul-based giants on a three-year deal following his departure from Leicester City, bringing an end to an eight-year stint in England during which he made over 200 appearances, scored 11 goals, and won both the FA Cup and Community Shield.
Speaking on the club’s new acquisition, Solskjaer referenced Ndidi’s past performances in the Premier League—particularly his role in Leicester’s victories over his former Manchester United side—as a testament to his quality.
“We signed Ndidi because we want players who can compete for the title,” Solskjaer said. “I remember him from when Leicester beat my Manchester United team. I know exactly how much he can contribute to this team.”
The move was confirmed after Ndidi passed his medical, and the Super Eagles international is expected to begin training with his new teammates this weekend.
Although Beşiktaş’s opening fixture against Kayserispor has been postponed, Ndidi is likely to make his debut in the second round of league matches.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
