Manchester United reportedly held internal discussions about securing a loan move for former Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi during the January transfer window, before ultimately deciding against recruiting any new midfield reinforcements.
Midfield Target Considered
According to reports from talkSPORT's Ben Jacobs, the Premier League giants explored the possibility of a short-term loan deal for the 29-year-old Nigerian international, who currently plays for Turkish side Besiktas. The proposed agreement was said to include a potential buy option valued at approximately €12 million (£10.4 million).
Ndidi, who captained Nigeria at the recent Africa Cup of Nations, spent nine successful seasons at Leicester City, famously helping the club secure an FA Cup victory in 2021. He departed the King Power Stadium last summer in an £8 million transfer to Besiktas, who were then managed by former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Internal Deliberation at Old Trafford
Jacobs revealed that the potential transfer was a point of conversation at Manchester United both before and after Michael Carrick's involvement in first-team matters. The club reportedly contacted Besiktas to outline the terms of a possible deal, with Dutch giants Ajax also making a similar enquiry.
"Manchester United held talks with Michael Carrick, who had reintegrated Kobbie Mainoo, and they decided they didn't want to sign another midfielder now and will wait until the summer," Jacobs explained during an appearance on The United Stand.
"It was certainly a deal both before Michael Carrick arrived and after, there was a point of internal conversation at Manchester United and after deliberation they decided not to make a bid."
Player Keen on Move
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano corroborated the story, noting that Ndidi himself was enthusiastic about the prospect of joining Manchester United. Romano described the opportunity as a "low-cost option" that the player was "very keen on," but confirmed that United promptly chose not to proceed with the deal.
"In terms of incomings, I can tell you that Wilfred Ndidi, former Leicester midfielder now at Besiktas, was offered as an opportunity to Man United," Romano stated on his Here We Go podcast. "They had the chance to do something like a low-cost deal, but they chose against it."
Summer Plans Remain Priority
This decision appears consistent with Manchester United's broader transfer strategy, which reportedly focuses on summer recruitment for midfield reinforcements. The club has been linked with several targets including Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba for the upcoming summer window.
With Ndidi not expected to be a candidate when the summer transfer period opens, the January exploration represented a temporary solution that United ultimately passed on in favour of their longer-term planning.
