Ndidi sustains injury on Besiktas debut, eases concerns after early exit

Wilfred Ndidi’s debut for Besiktas ended on a worrying note after the Nigerian midfielder was forced off injured during Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Eyupspor at Besiktas Park.

The former Leicester City man, who joined the Turkish giants only ten days ago, was handed a starting role by Ole Gunnar Solskjær but failed to finish the game.

Ndidi went down in the 69th minute clutching his leg and, despite receiving treatment, could not continue.

The incident immediately sparked concern for both Besiktas and Nigeria, with the Super Eagles set to face Rwanda and South Africa in crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers next month.

Ndidi, however, moved quickly to calm fears after the match.

“It’s not a serious situation. It was a cramp during the match. I thought it might happen around the 60-70 minute mark,” he said.

“Such situations can occur in the first games of the season, but it’s nothing serious.”

The 27-year-old will undergo further tests in the coming days, but the midfielder is confident the issue is minor.

Nigeria host Rwanda in Uyo on September 6 before travelling to Bloemfontein to face South Africa on September 9.