Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has been named the tenth most valuable defensive midfielder in the world by football website transfermarkt.co.uk.
The Leicester ace has been an ever-present in the Foxes midfield since his arrival in January of 2017 and has been named the Premier League’s best tackler in each of the last two seasons.
His rising stock has been reflected by his increased market value which has now been put at €45 million – a €28m increase on the €17m fee Leicester paid to Belgian side Genk for his services.
He isn’t Africa’s most expensive defensive midfielder, however, with Atletico Madrid’s Ghanaian international Thomas Partey one place ahead of Ndidi with a value of €50m.
Ndidi’s importance to Brendan Rodgers’ side was recently underscored when the Foxes failed to win three straight games when he was sidelined with a knee injury but made a return to winning ways following his reintroduction to the team.
His impressive performances in his time in England has seen the midfielder linked with a move to top European clubs with Liverpool and Manchester United reportedly interested in acquiring his midfield nous.
The list ranks Manchester City summer signing Rodri as the world’s most valuable defensive midfielder with a value of around €80 million – a €10m increase from the fee the Citizens paid Atletico Madrid for him last summer.
Bayern Munich utility man Joshua Kimmich is also valued at €80m but sits second on the chart with Liverpool’s Fabinho, Real Madrid’s Casemiro and Chelsea’s Italian international Jorginho completing the rest of the top five most valuable defensive midfielders in the world.
TOP 10 MOST VALUABLE DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS
- Rodri (Manchester City) €80 million
- Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich) €80 million
- Fabinho (Liverpool) €70 million
- Casemiro (Real Madrid)€70 million
- Jorginho (Chelsea FC) €65 million
- Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan) €60 million
- Declan Rice (West Ham United) €55 million
- Rueben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) €50 million
- Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid) €50 million
- Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) €45 million.
