Claude Puel 'happy' with speculation surrounding Wilfred Ndidi's future
Thursday 1 March 2018 16:38, UK
Leicester boss Claude Puel is happy with recent speculation surrounding Wilfred Ndidi’s future because it shows the midfielder is performing well for his team.
In recent weeks, Ndidi has been linked with a big-money summer move to Liverpool amid speculation Reds midfielder Emre Can could depart Anfield for Juventus when his contract expires at the end of the season.
No player has made more successful tackles than Ndidi's 116 in the Premier League this season, and Puel says interest in the midfielder is a testament to how much he has come on since joining Leicester in a £15m deal from Belgian side Genk a little over a year ago.
"We spoke about Wilfred, the other week it was about [Harry] Maguire and last week it was another. Every week it is a different player," Puel told reporters ahead of Saturday's visit of Bournemouth.
"I think it is a good feeling - also because if there is speculation around a player I think all of this shows they have progressed in the team.
"They [all] have to continue to work with us, and of course I am happy about [speculation regarding] Wilfred, Harry, Riyad [Mahrez], and Jamie [Vardy].
"I think it is also a good thing to have players of this quality in the interests of the team."
Ndidi had a difficult job to emulate the success enjoyed by N'Golo Kante, who left the club for Chelsea six months before the Nigeria international joined and went on to win the Premier League for the second season in succession.
Puel added: "I think since the beginning of the season Wilfred is perhaps the most important and most consistent player [for us] because he has played well [and] recovered a lot of balls.
"Perhaps his last game [Leicester's 1-1 home draw with Stoke] - like his team-mates - he was not fantastic, but since the beginning of the season I think he has improved a lot.
"He has continued to work with a very good spirit in training sessions but he is a valuable player for us because we don't have a lot of players with those attributes. He can recover a lot of balls he is strong in the duels and he plays it simple with good quality, and gives our play a good start."
