Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has officially completed a €8 million permanent transfer from Leicester City to Turkish giants Besiktas, signing a three-year deal with an option for a fourth.
The 28-year-old landed in Istanbul on Thursday to undergo a medical, and the Turkish club confirmed the move on Friday in a statement to the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP). Both player and club have now finalized personal terms, ending Ndidi’s eight-year spell with the Foxes.
“It’s really amazing. Joining Besiktas is a really great feeling,” said Ndidi after his unveiling. “It feels really great, very warm, very welcoming. Before I put the shirt on, I kissed the badge, which is very important—it shows love.”
Besiktas confirmed the deal, stating:
“An agreement has been reached with professional footballer Wilfred Onyinye Ndidi for his transfer. A 3+1 year contract has been signed with Ndidi. A total transfer fee of €8,000,000 will be paid to Leicester City Football Club.”
Ndidi’s move comes shortly after his Super Eagles teammate Victor Osimhen completed a blockbuster switch to Besiktas’ arch-rivals, Galatasaray, further intensifying Turkish football’s transfer rivalry.
Ndidi joins Besiktas following Leicester’s relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2024–25 season. During his time at King Power Stadium, he made 303 appearances, scored 18 goals, and was a crucial figure in Leicester’s FA Cup triumph in 2021, Community Shield win, and Championship title victory in 2023–24.
Having joined Leicester from Belgian club Genk in January 2017 as a highly-rated 20-year-old, Ndidi developed into one of the Premier League’s most consistent defensive midfielders. His tireless work rate, physicality, and ball-winning ability made him a fan favorite.
Leicester City expressed their gratitude in a farewell statement:
“Wilfred joined us from Belgian side Genk in January 2017 and became a key figure in our midfield across eight seasons at King Power Stadium. He made 303 appearances in all competitions, finding the net 18 times.
A tireless and combative presence in the centre of the pitch, Wilf played a vital role in some of the Club’s most successful moments in recent years—helping us to consecutive fifth-place finishes in the Premier League, lifting the Emirates FA Cup and FA Community Shield in 2021, and winning the Sky Bet Championship title in 2023/24.
He leaves with the sincere thanks and best wishes of everyone at Leicester City for the next chapter of his career.”
Ndidi is expected to be a key figure in Besiktas’ midfield, now under the management of former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær, as the club looks to challenge for the Turkish Super Lig title and a return to European competition.
