Why Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi could finally plug the gap left by Patrick Vieira
One of the main reasons why Arsenal have slipped alarmingly out of title – and even Champions League – contention, is their lack of spine. In the good old days of the Gunners’ ‘Invincibles’ team, not only did Arsenal boast plenty of power, pace and flair in attack, they also had plenty of grit and desire to offer security for the back line. There’s been no better holding midfielder for Arsenal in the club’s history than Frenchman Patrick Vieira. The powerhouse, signed from Monaco by Arsene Wenger, had the lot – he could score, he could create, and he could spoil games when he needed to.
When Vieira left the club for a one-season sojourn with Juventus in 2005, Arsenal were visibly a different proposition. In fact, it took the club nine years to win another major trophy, when the 2014 FA Cup was sealed against Hull City. They went on to win the FA Cup a year later and again in 2017, but the Gunners’ faithful were growing increasingly frustrated at their inability to make inroads in the league. Their failure to replace Vieira has been a major bugbear, but one that new Gunners boss Mikel Arteta appears to be keen to rectify.
Ndidi has caught the eye at the base of Leicester’s midfield
If reports are to be believed, Leicester City’s domineering defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is being watched closely as a potential addition to the Arsenal midfield. The 23-year-old Nigerian has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water since his switch from Belgian outfit Genk to the East Midlands club. Ndidi has particularly flourished under the tutelage of current Foxes boss, Brendan Rodgers, who has empowered him to provide a strong, confident platform for City to play from, enabling playmakers such as James Maddison to do their damage further up the pitch.
Torreira’s inability to settle ramps up the need for Ndidi
Uruguayan midfielder, Lucas Torreira has struggled to stamp his authority on the Gunners’ midfield since his arrival from Sampdoria. The biggest issue with the 23-year-old is his lack of presence in English football. At just 5ft 6”, Torreira struggles to impose himself enough on games, something that Ndidi has managed to achieve in the two seasons he’s been at the King Power stadium. Ndidi stands at 6ft and is much more of a rangy midfielder, capable of covering the ground quickly at both ends of the pitch. Torreira’s Arsenal team-mate Matteo Guendouzi is another enigmatic talent that has struggled for consistency, ramping up the need for fresh blood.
Ndidi’s Leicester have once again defied the sportsbook traders in the EPL this season, with many fans placing futures bets on the Foxes upsetting the applecart and securing a place in the 2020/21 Champions League. Futures wagers are an increasingly popular way to bet on the beautiful game, simply because it keeps things interesting for longer. Futures betting always refers to an outcome in the distant future. For the Gunners, a tilt at the EPL title is certainly in the distant future, but their odds to become EPL champions again could certainly shorten if they had the solidity and protection that Ndidi provides behind their more forward-thinking stars.
Ndidi also shone last year at the 2019 African Cup of Nations. It’s been six years since Nigeria last won the Cup of Nations, but Ndidi helped the Super Eagles to a very respectable third-place finish in Egypt, overcoming Tunisia in the third/four-place playoff. He ranked highest for interceptions and tackles made in the tournament, and his drive and anticipation was recently recognised by his compatriots, who voted him Nigerian Player of the Year for 2019.
A January move for Ndidi looks unlikely from the Gunners, given the astronomical fee that Leicester would almost certainly demand for a deal to be done halfway through the season. Arsenal’s transfer budget has been well-known to be tight in recent seasons, so Arteta will have to bide his time and potentially go after his man in the close season, relying on Torreira and co. between now and May.
