Done deals: Leicester swoop for Nigerian star Ndidi, German international Draxler signs for PSG

PREMIER League champions Leicester have pipped Manchester United to sign a defensive midfielder to help fill the gap left by N’Golo Kante. Catch up on the overnight done deals.

Kante and Ranieri.

PREMIER League champions Leicester are set to sign defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi from Belgian club Genk to fill the gap left by the influential N’Golo Kante.

The Nigerian international, who had reportedly been a target for Manchester United, has agreed a five-and-a-half-year contract and his move for a reported £15 million ($25 million, 17 million euros) will be officially rubber-stamped once a work permit is granted.

The 20-year-old has already undergone a medical at Leicester and hopes to complete his move to the King Power Stadium later this week.

“Leicester City can today confirm that an agreement has been reached with KRC Genk for the permanent transfer of Wilfred Ndidi,” a Leicester statement said on Tuesday.

“He will wear City’s no.25 shirt.” Ndidi was spotted by Genk playing for Nathaniel Boys in an open trial in his homeland.

BREAKING: #lcfc have reached an agreement with KRC Genk for the permanent transfer of Wilfred Ndidi: https://t.co/es7N8FrWpu#WelcomeNdidi pic.twitter.com/uNMNXP3XjW

— Leicester City (@LCFC) January 3, 2017

He joined Genk’s academy on his 18th birthday and this season helped the club reach the knock-out stages of the Europa League, qualifying as group winners.

His performances attracted the attention of several clubs but Leicester have won the race for the combative midfielder, who Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri will hope can replace Kante.

Kante was a key figure in Leicester’s shock title triumph last term and his presence has been sorely missed since his pre-season move to Chelsea.

Ndidi has represented Nigeria at Under-17 and Under-20 level and earned his first senior call-up in October 2015.

He has played twice alongside Leicester’s Ahmed Musa for Nigeria.

German international Julian Draxler has joined Paris Saint Germain from Wolfsburg on a four-year deal, the French club said Tuesday.

PSG are delighted to announce the signing of Julian Draxler through 2021!! #WillkommenDraxler https://t.co/H8TzD3Zkq7 pic.twitter.com/v7WanYdEQ5

— PSG English (@PSG_English) January 3, 2017

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has signed a contract for a reported 36 to 40 million euros ($37.5 million - $42 million) that will keep him at the top French club until the end of June 2021.

Draxler, part of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning side, said he was proud to join the current French champions, ending an acrimonious spell at his German club.

“I will be discovering a new country, a new championship and am very proud to embark on this new stage as part of a club that has become a reference in Europe and has recruited many very great players in recent years,” Draxler said in a club statement.

Draxler was unsettled at Wolfsburg and ruffled feathers last year when he announced publicly that he wanted to leave, prompting coach Valerien Ismael to say the player was causing ‘confusion’ in the team.

Julian Draxler meets his new teammates and has his first training session with PSG!!
🔴🔵 #WillkommenDraxler pic.twitter.com/rN9oWXvvTJ

— PSG English (@PSG_English) January 3, 2017

Draxler is PSG’s first purchase in the January transfer window as the club seeks to strengthen its squad after a disappointing start to the season and ahead of a their Champions League second round clash with Barcelona on February 14 and March 8.

Draxler made his Bundesliga debut at 17 for Schalke 04 and went on to become the youngest ever goalscorer for the national side, against Kazakhstan in June 2013, and the youngest player to captain Germany the following year against Poland in a World Cup warmup game, aged 20.

More recently his career has been dogged by controversy.

He has upset fans, teammates and officials at Wolfburg, with his drive to quit the club lying 13th in the Bundesliga while critics say his performance on the field has fallen short of his stellar reputation.

Last month former German international Lothar Matthaus chimed in with a warning to clubs interested in the precociously talent player that he had “never proved at the highest level that he was capable of making the difference”.

Genoa’s Venezuelan international Tomas Rincon has signed an eight-million-euro ($8.3m) deal for Serie A champions Juventus until June 2020, the Italian league leaders announced on Tuesday.

OFFICIAL: @TomasRincon5 signs for Juventus: https://t.co/VWvYAszSnA #BienvenidoTomas pic.twitter.com/fh1jieaUCe

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) January 3, 2017

The 28-year-old midfielder, nicknamed ‘The General’, arrived in Europe at the beginning of the 2008-2009 season to play for German club Hamburg before signing for Genoa in the summer of 2014.

Italian striker Leonardo Pavoletti also leaves Genoa for third-placed Napoli, the president of his new club Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed without revealing details.

Pavoletti scored three goals in nine games for Genoa this season, and has been lured by playing Champions League football with Napoli who face a last-16 clash with Real Madrid on February 15 and March 7.

Originally published as Done deals: Leicester swoop for Nigerian star Ndidi, German international Draxler signs for PSG