Ndidi: Replacing Kante Was Scary

The Frenchman departed the Kings Power Stadium after leading the Foxes to an unprecedented league title with the Nigerian brought in as his replacement

Wilfred Ndidi has confessed that he felt the pressure of stepping into the enormous shoes left behind by N’Golo Kante when Leicester City signed him in place of the World Cup winner who earlier departed for Chelsea.

Kante rose to prominence after playing a crucial role as Claudio Ranieri’s men powered to a historic league title in 2016.

The French midfielder finished that campaign as the English Premier League’s top tackler and top interceptor.

Chelsea swooped in for Kante, with the Foxes waiting until January 2017 to bring in Ndidi from Genk as a direct alternate.

The Super Eagles star took little time to adapt to his new home, and he has developed into one of the world’s finest defensive midfielders, finishing the 2018-2019 season as the top tackler in the top-flight.

One hundred and eleven Premier League appearances and six goals after, Ndidi is ready to make the step up with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG and Manchester United linked with a move for the Nath Boys Academy product.

It’s a beautiful twist to a story that could have gone downhill with the 23-year-old admitting he was initially scared by the enormity of the challenge posed by joining the Foxes.

“The pressure I had was that they (Leicester City) just won the league. Kante left, and they were looking for a replacement. Seeing this whole situation, it was very scary for me,” Ndidi said to Out of Home Podcast via Daily Star.

“I was comfortable at Genk, but it was like an opportunity for me to actually develop in my career.

“It was the right time for me to go because Genk wanted me to progress in my career.

“It was difficult at that time because I had to leave for another country and start afresh.

“Even during training, everyone wanted to see what I can do because the person who just left actually made a mark. So, the pressure was just there.”