Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi will today complete his comeback to the Super Eagles when he starts in a friendly against arch-rivals Ghana in Morocco.
Ndidi was one of the key absentees at the recent AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, where the Super Eagles went all the way to the championship game against the host nation.
In December, he suffered a muscle injury at his English Championship club and only returned to action this month.
He was a 71st minute sub when Leicester won 1-0 at Sunderland on March 5, 2024.
Both club and country suffered in the absence of a midfielder considered by many as one of two world-class players in the Super Eagles with the other being Victor Osimhen.
Frank Onyeka was the only recognised defensive midfielder for the Super Eagles at the AFCON, which meant Alex Iwobi had to also double up defensively.
Leicester City also lost their massive lead at the top of the English second-tier league that they are now second behind Leeds United on 82 points from 37 matches, while Ipswich Town are on their heels on 81 points and in third place of a fierce battle for automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
This season in the Championship, the 27-year-old Ndidi has enjoyed a more attacking midfield role, which has seen him score twice in 23 league appearances.
You will have to go back to the 2015/2016 season when he scored more goals – 4 goals – for Genk in the Belgian league.
It will be interesting to see whether interim Super Eagles coach Finidi George plays him as he now does for Leicester City or features him as the main holding midfielder.
It is important he is back playing for Nigeria as in the summer when his contract runs out, he could walk out on Leicester City a free agent with several top clubs as options to sign him.
His comeback is great news as the Super Eagles get set for two crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers at home against main rivals South Africa and away in Benin in June.
Hopefully, the player will be free of the many long-term injuries that have blighted his career in recent years.
