Wilfred Ndidi vs Declan Rice: Nigeria star bests Arsenal man in key defensive stat, years after PL exit

Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi stopped playing Premier League football two seasons ago, but his status as one of the best defensive midfielders to grace the league in the last decade remains solid, Soccernet.ng reports.

​The 29-year-old midfielder joined Leicester City from Genk in 2017 in a deal worth €17.6 million. At the time, Leicester were in the English top flight, and Ndidi took to the league like a fish to water.

​N'Golo Kanté had just left for Chelsea a few months before, leaving a massive void in the middle of the park. However, Ndidi arrived and ensured that Leicester City quickly forgot about the Frenchman.

​In his first five seasons, it was clear that he was one of the premier ball-winners in the division. At one point, Manchester United were even rumored to be seriously interested in him, though that transfer never materialized.

​Unfortunately, injuries and frequent managerial changes at Leicester City began to affect his form by his sixth season. His struggles contributed to the Foxes suffering relegation from the Premier League in 2023.

​Although he bounced back to enjoy a strong campaign under Enzo Maresca during the 2023–24 Championship-winning season, Leicester were relegated again immediately upon their return in the 2024–25 campaign.

​Following that drop, Ndidi left Leicester City for Beşiktaş at the end of last summer. His departure left a noticeable void in the squad as the club subsequently suffered a disastrous slide down to League One.

​Wilfred Ndidi Remains Among the Best in Premier League Defensive Stats

​Over the past ten years, Ndidi has missed three seasons of Premier League football due to spells away from the division and frequent injury setbacks.

​Despite this, recent statistics from Whoscored show that the Super Eagles star still ranks near the very top for total tackles made over the last ten Premier League seasons.

💪 Most tackles won in the last 10 Premier League seasons:

◉ 483 – Idrissa Gueye
◉ 483 – Wilfred Ndidi
◎ 400 – Aaron Wan-Bissaka
◎ 370 – Declan Rice
◎ 339 – James Tarkowski
◎ 321 – Tyrick Mitchell
◎ 319 – César Azpilicueta
◎ 306 – Oriol Romeu
◎ 303 – N'Golo Kanté
◎ 302… pic.twitter.com/Fz4X4RKvc1

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) August 10, 2026

​Ndidi is tied with former Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye at the summit with 483 tackles. Aaron Wan-Bissaka sits third with 400, while Arsenal superstar Declan Rice is fourth with 370 tackles.

​Rice is widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders in the English top flight, having played nine consistent seasons across West Ham and Arsenal. Yet, Ndidi managed more tackles in significantly fewer games than the Englishman over the past decade.

​James Tarkowski, Tyrick Mitchell, César Azpilicueta, Oriol Romeu, N'Golo Kanté, and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg complete the top ten.

​Ndidi is currently plying his trade in the Süper Lig with Beşiktaş, though speculation persists over a potential exit amid growing interest from Saudi Arabia.