The £15 million ace laughs off claims that he could have joined Celtic because it ‘wasn’t true.’

Wilfred Ndidi admits he never expected to leave Leicester City in the summer despite reports claiming he was on the radars of Celtic and Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest. 

With the rangy Nigeria international seemingly misplacing the defensive instincts that once placed him among of English football’s most effective ball-winners, one of the biggest tests facing new Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca was to find a solution to a growing problem.

And it seems he’s done just that. Shifting Wilfred Ndidi from a ‘number six’ into a box-to-box ‘number eight’ role, Pep Guardiola’s former assistant has been rewarded for his tactical re-shuffle with some vastly-improved displays in a new role.

Ndidi’s tally of three goals in eight games under Maresca is as many as he’s scored since the beginning of 2020/21.

Celtic and Nottingham Forest were linked with Wilfred Ndidi

The £15 million signing from Genk, meanwhile, is pleased to be broadening his footballing horizons under Maresca, despite potentially missing out on a return to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest or Champions League football with Celtic.

“I’ve been open minded to try and learn more (about Maresca’s) philosophy and his style. It’s been going well. I’m happy that I’m here,” Ndidi tells the When You’re Smiling podcast on BBC Radio Leicester.

“There’s no time that I wanted to leave. Sometimes, I saw the news and I was just laughing because it wasn’t true.”

Ndidi may be referring to reports, from the Daily Mail, suggesting that a reunion with Brendan Rodgers was on the cards north of the border at Celtic. Those rumours were quickly scotched by publications in Scotland, with Ndidi also playing down Fabrizio Romano’s claims that he was keen on a move to Nottingham Forest on deadline day.

Leicester challenging for Championship table

“To be honest, no (I didn’t think I would leave),” the 2021 FA Cup winner adds. “Because when he (Maresca) came, he tried to explain his philosophy and also the simplicity of the game and I just feel like it’s something I can actually learn from.”