Barcelona ‘lining up shock free transfer’ raid on the Championship with boss Xavi keen on Leicester star

BARCELONA are lining up a shock swoop for Wilfred Ndidi, according to reports.

The 26-year-old currently plays for Leicester in the Championship.

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Wilfred Ndidi is being eyed by a number of top European sides[/caption]

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Barcelona boss Xavi is said to be keen on a cheap deal for the midfielder[/caption]

The midfielder’s contract with the Foxes expires next summer.

And this could prompt financially-troubled Barcelona into making a move either in January or in the free agency market in the summer.

According to Sport, the Spanish giants interest is not new either.

In previous years there is said to have been an approach to sign the Nigerian with a price of £61million being quoted.

Ndidi was unable to secure a move away from England‘s second tier over the summer, with Leicester reportedly wanting £20m to sell.

That being said, the LaLiga outfit are not the only club interested in signing him, with Bayern Munich, Juventus and Atletico Madrid also in the running.

He joined from Belgian side Genk in January 2017 for a reported fee of £15m.

Ndidi was a member of Brendan Rodgers‘ Foxes team who won the FA Cup in 2021, playing the full duration of the 1-0 win over Chelsea.

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He also featured four times in Leicester’s Champions League campaign the season after they won the title.

After a drop in form and injury issues during Leicester’s drop down the Premier League table before their eventual relegation, Ndidi has been a key component of Enzo Maresca‘s side that sit top of the Championship.

Ndidi has been sidelined since last month after picking up a muscle injury over the international break.

Maresca has utilised him in a new role this season, though the manager has admitted he is unsure whether Ndidi is happy with this role.

He said last month: “I don’t know if he’s more or less happy but the only thing I can say is that he’s very happy.

“He’s enjoying it, and he’s open-minded. He’s trying to learn something new and he’s making the effort to try to understand it and learn.

“He’s doing very well at arriving in the box. He’s doing not so good at staying in position and moving in the right way in the pocket.

“Most of the time he’s higher, close to the opposition central defender and sometimes he has to drop a little bit more.

“But as I said, it’s new for him and it’s not easy. But for sure he’s always in the box.”

In all, Ndidi has made 252 appearances for Leicester, scoring 14 goals and adding 16 assists.