Wilfred Ndidi’s move to Saudi Arabia has hit an early obstacle, with Besiktas rejecting an opening bid from Al Diriyah as the Turkish club hold firm on their valuation of the Super Eagles captain, Footynaija.com reports.
Ndidi joined Besiktas last summer on a free transfer after leaving Leicester City, where he spent eight years and became one of the Premier League’s most consistent defensive midfielders before the club’s relegation to the Championship.
The 29-year-old has been a regular starter for the Istanbul side and carried his Super Eagles captaincy into another productive season, but his future is now the subject of serious another activity with the Saudi Pro League making an aggressive push for his signature.
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Al Diriyah, a Saudi side backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and competing in the Pro League following their promotion last season, tabled an opening offer of €7 million for the defensive midfielder.
As confirmed by recent reports, Besiktas turned it down without hesitation, with the Turkish club holding out for a minimum of €10 million before they will consider any deal.
The gap between the two figures is not much in the context of Saudi transfer spending, and Al Diriyah are expected to return with an improved offer. Whether they are willing to meet Besiktas’s asking price is the question that will determine how this develops.
For the Nigerian, Saudi Arabia would be a huge financial step up, with the Pro League offering wages that European clubs outside the elite cannot match. He becomes the latest in a growing line of African midfielders being targeted by Saudi clubs, following moves that have taken top players like N’Golo Kante and Jordan Henderson to the region in recent years.
