Premier League team Bournemouth, on the other hand, is in “advanced” talks to sign the Ecuadorian wizard, who has drawn comparisons to fellow countryman and Chelsea player Moises Caicedo.
Since then, The Sun has reported that both Luton and the Cherries are willing to pay £5.5 million for him. However, there is a snag in the deal, which is related to a 15% sell-on clause that the adolescent talent’s club wants him to waive.
In the event that the Hoops prevail in the competition for his services, Brendan Rodgers may be able to recruit Wilfred Ndidi, a fierce competitor for Leicester City.
The final season Ndidi spent with Rodgers in terms of stats
The two had their final season together in 2021–2022, when the Nigerian international played 19 Premier League games for the Foxes in midfield.
With 5.4 tackles and interceptions made per game and a 54% duel success rate in the top division, Ndidi demonstrated his exceptional defensive abilities.
| Ndidi vs Premier League midfielders in 21/22 (via FBref) | |
|---|---|
| Statistic (per 90) | Percentile rank |
| Tackles (3.34) | Top 3% |
| Interceptions (2.34) | Top 1% |
| Clearances (3.00) | Top 2% |
| Blocks (2.00) | Top 5%
To further highlight how much the defensive midfielder concentrated on keeping the opponent out, he completed 80% of his passes and failed to help his team at the top of the pitch with a single goal or assist. Under Rodgers and Dean Smith, Ndidi averaged 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 27 games for Leicester the following season as they were relegated.
The numbers demonstrating Zambrano’s potential as Ndidi 2.0 If Celtic’s head coach signs Zambrano, who has the makings of a great midfield player, he might discover his next version of the Foxes star.
The £5.5 million enforcer is not yet a finished product, so it’s possible that he won’t be able to equal Ndidi’s defensive productivity from when he was at the top for Rodgers. Ndidi is 19 years old. |
But his performance for Ecuador at the U20 World Cup last year indicates that he possesses the fundamental skills needed to play at number six.
In his four tournament appearances for his country, Zambrano won 55% of his duels and averaged 4.3 tackles and interceptions per game.
But in 24 Serie A games for his team in 2023, he only totaled 2.0 tackles and interceptions per match, indicating that the Hoops target is still adjusting to first-team football and that more work is required before he can play at a senior level.
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