Leicester City’s excellent transfer policy has been praised continuously over the years, but two signings alone sum up the largely shrewd recruitment at the club. It is incredibly satisfying to know that the Foxes signed Wilfred Ndidi and Youri Tielemans for the combined sum of £55m, and managed to get £80m for Harry Maguire.
There have been some major flops that need no mentioning, but let’s take a moment to appreciate Leicester’s dynamic midfield duo, the pride and joy of Jon Rudkin and the backroom staff.
Wilfred Ndidi
Ndidi’s strengths are easy to see, but the impact they have on the game. According to Whoscored, he averages 3.6 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game, the most in the whole league. This is despite him being injured for a substantial part of the early season.
These statistics help to outline his defensive prowess, but only offer a glimpse of the destructive presence he provides in game. Ndidi’s ability to snuff out threats in transition often prevents dangerous attacks even materialising which give Leicester much-improved control of the game.
Whilst his weaknesses are to be found in his passing, he has certainly improved massively, with his pass completion increasing from 75.9% in his first season, to 87.3%. Furthermore, against Man United on Tuesday, Ndidi showed excellent use of his body and the ball to escape pressure and win fouls, emphasising the improving technical side of his game. Under Brendan Rodgers, it is no surprise Ndidi has further developed this area, with the Northern Irishman emphasising a desire for his players to be comfortable on the ball.
That being said, ‘Wilf’ has much to learn in this department, with the Nigerian still being guilty of misplacing simple passes, and often taking ill-advised attempts on goal. Yet, he is only human after all, so we must not be too exacting with our criticism!
Youri Tielemans of Leicester City
Conversely, most of what Ndidi lacks, Tielemans provides. As Rodgers’ tactician on the pitch, the Belgian’s footballing brain has endowed him with maturity beyond his relatively tender years.
The fact Brendan has been unable to really rest him from his line-up is a clear indication of what qualities he brings to the team, and without his presence, the team suffers.
As an all-round midfielder, Tielemans has a little bit of everything, with a deceptive level of defensive capability merely adding to his wonderful technical ability. At his best, the ‘Starman’ runs games, dictating the tempo and playing intelligent passes between the lines. Youri’s willingness to take risks with his passing can frustrate but as Rodgers has said repeatedly, he prefers players to be brave with the ball in attack and fail, rather than just take the safe option.
Moreover, this ability to break the lines, and manipulate the ball in tight areas is invaluable to breaking a press, with the Belgian also possessing excellent vision to thread killer passes through the eye of a needle. Though not blessed with exceptional physicality, Tielemans is no slouch and is adept at using his body to win fouls or turn away from pressure.
Although it is hard to pick out any glaring criticism in Tielemans’ game, set-piece taking remains a bone of contention. Leicester have been woeful from set-pieces this season (aside from one corner last night), prompting questions from fans and commentators alike. Yes, the success of corners and free-kicks do depend on the players in the penalty area, but some responsibility must be given to the taker. This isn’t to say he should be stripped of corner taking duties, but as the old adage goes, there is always room for improvement.
Yin and Yang
Whilst Ndidi provides the steel, Tielemans is the brain and the heartbeat of this Leicester side. Combined they possess bite and guile to give any side a run for their money and provide a solid foundation for the rest of the team to work around.
Often, Ndidi will win the ball, with Tielemans recovering the ball and using it intelligently to get the Foxes on the front foot. This effective combination has been the fulcrum of Leicester’s sustained push for Champions League football over the past two seasons.
Goodness knows how much a player with the combined attributes of Tielemans and Ndidi would be worth, but it would be an exorbitant fee.
How do they compare to other EPL midfielders?
Leicester’s midfield duo is up there with the very best in the league, and is probably better than several top-six sides, including Man United’s ‘McFred’ to name but one example.
It is difficult to name many other teams that possess the midfield quality Rodgers can call on, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool being potential candidates. This statement alone is ludicrous considering that just 10 years ago, Leicester’s midfield consisted of players such as Richie Wellens and Matt Oakley. This is by no means disrespecting former LCFC stalwarts, who were excellent in their time at the club. Even so, they pale in comparison to Leicester’s current crop.
How will Soumaré fit into this midfield?
The future looks bright for Leicester, with the potential addition of Boubakary Soumaré to the midfield. As a player who has been compared to Yaya Toure and Paul Pogba, he is not an out-and-out defensive midfielder, but more of a deep-lying playmaker who is excellent at carrying the ball, and likes to operate in the middle third of the pitch.
His arrival could provide Rodgers with the luxury of resting the indefatigable Tielemans (who has only missed two games this season) or experimenting with a two/three-man midfield.
At the cost of €25m, due to the effects of the financial crisis at Lille and Soumaré’s expiring contract, such a deal seems like a potential bargain and represents another coup for the recruitment team. However, the exit of Hamza Choudhury seems ever more likely, who would be set to fall further down the pecking order.
The pessimist will say that arrival of this young Frenchman is merely preparation for the inevitable departure of either Ndidi or Tielemans. Consistent quality, after all, attracts unwanted interest. However, whilst one day bigger fish may come, it can be guaranteed that LCFC will not part with either for anything other than a princely fee, and an adequate replacement will nearly always be signed.
Even so, Leicester City’s ability to sign players ahead of interested ‘bigger’ clubs such as Spurs and Manchester United, shows how far the Foxes have progressed in recent years. Such early action in the transfer market is an indication the Foxes mean business, and bodes for exciting times ahead!