{"id":906894,"date":"2026-05-19T10:12:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T15:12:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/19\/a-good-omen-ex-besiktas-star-makes-bold-ndidi-prediction-ahead-of-next-season\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T10:12:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T15:12:17","slug":"a-good-omen-ex-besiktas-star-makes-bold-ndidi-prediction-ahead-of-next-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/19\/a-good-omen-ex-besiktas-star-makes-bold-ndidi-prediction-ahead-of-next-season\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cA good omen\u201d\u00a0\u2013 Ex-Besiktas star makes bold Ndidi prediction ahead of next season"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><img width=\"750\" height=\"500\" alt=\"Soccer \u201cA good omen\u201d\u00a0\u2013 Ex-Besiktas star makes bold Ndidi prediction ahead of next season\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/svQHdW58vlJnUtuuh8jzF7ZrEMk=\/750x500\/smart\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2025%2F08%2FGxt9T0XX0AACdLn.jpeg\" srcset data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\"><\/p>\n<p>Nigeria and Besiktas midfielder Wilfred Ndidi. Photo Credit: Besiktas\/X<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Former Super Eagles and Be\u015fikta\u015f goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu has delivered an honest assessment of Wilfred Ndidi\u2019s early impact at the Turkish club,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/\"><u>Soccernet.ng<\/u><\/a>\u00a0reports.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Nigerian captain joined the Black Eagles last summer after leaving English side Leicester City, where he spent eight and a half years and built a reputation as one of the Premier League\u2019s most reliable defensive midfielders.<\/p>\n<p>The 29-year-old\u00a0also joined the list of Nigerians to represent Be\u015fikta\u015f, following in the footsteps of the likes of\u00a0Daniel Amokachi and the late Michael Eneramo\u00a0and he has\u00a0made an immediate impression at the club.<\/p>\n<p>Ndidi went on to make 31 appearances across all competitions and also captained the side on several occasions in the absence of Turkish midfielder Orkun K\u00f6k\u00e7\u00fc, after he was named as the club\u2019s vice-captain a few months after arriving.<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2210\" height=\"2730\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/Xk1fTnkTy80nCP05yH9xFDwZlTo=\/2210x2730\/smart\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2026%2F04%2Fimago1075549695.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Referee Yasin Kol show yellow card to Wilfred Ndidi of Besiktas during the Trendyol Turkish S\u00fcper League match between Fenerbahce SK and Besiktas JK at Chobani Stadium\"><figcaption> Referee Yasin Kol show yellow card to Wilfred Ndidi of Besiktas. Copyright: ImagoxSeskimphotox<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He also led the Super Eagles to a bronze medal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria secured a record ninth third-place finish after defeating Egypt in the playoff, playing a key role throughout the tournament.<\/p>\n<h2>Soccer Ike Shorunmu hails Ndidi\u2019s influence at Be\u015fikta\u015f<\/h2>\n<p>Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi enjoyed a strong debut season at Be\u015fikta\u015f, climbing to third on the club\u2019s all-time list of Nigerian appearances, overtaking Michael Eneramo and Christopher Ohen.<\/p>\n<p>His next target is to close in on Shorunmu\u2019s tally of 46 appearances, although he still has a long way to go to match Daniel Amokachi\u2019s record of 112.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking in an interview, former Super Eagles goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu, who also played for Be\u015fikta\u015f between 1999 and 2001 after joining from FC Z\u00fcrich, praised Ndidi\u2019s influence at the club, especially after being named vice-captain despite joining only last summer.<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/L7jGjtQu7Btu4LcV1v0ceniA718=\/1024x683\/smart\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2025%2F01%2Fimago549264.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu\"  ><figcaption> Ike Shorunmu (Nigeria). Photo by IMAGO <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s good. I mean for him to be given the captain\u2019s band, a foreigner, and again too in Be\u015fikta\u015f which I played for, it\u2019s a good omen. That shows me that they have a good respect for him\u201d,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/footy-africa.com\/ndidi-can-help-besiktas-challenge-for-trophies-next-season-says-shorunmu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Shorunmu told Footy-<\/u><u>Af<\/u><u>rica<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cBecause before him, it was Amokachi that played there and after him I came on board and we never captained the team. Which Ndidi, they gave him the captaincy. And as I said earlier, it\u2019s a generation thing. He\u2019s doing well with the team and they are happy with him.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2>Soccer Ndidi key to Be\u015fikta\u015f\u2019 title ambitions<\/h2>\n<p>Be\u015fikta\u015f finished fourth in the Turkish Super Lig with 60 points, 17 behind champions Galatasaray\u00a0and have a huge gap to close to be considered title challengers.<\/p>\n<p>The Black Eagles ended the season without silverware and have not won the league since the 2020\u201321 campaign. However, Shorunmu believes Ndidi can play a major role in helping them compete with Galatasaray and Fenerbah\u00e7e next season.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s an important player for the club, and I believe with him they can challenge for the title. They\u2019ve been there before. That thing is not a thing of every year that you need to win the title. That\u2019s mean the league is not that good because there\u2019s a lot of challenges, a lot of competition which is good for the league and which is good for their country.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5530\" height=\"3687\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/MocZJweQh7hB1AIpkS-IcepVxWM=\/5530x3687\/smart\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2026%2F02%2Fimago1073048723.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria and Besiktas star Wilfred Ndidi\"><figcaption>Nigeria and Besiktas star Wilfred Ndidi. Copyright: IMAGO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThey have a better team to represent them on the continent. That\u2019s it. Probably by next season, Be\u015fikta\u015f will do something better than this season to get them there for next season\u201d, rhe former Nigerian goalkeeper\u00a0concluded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>With the Turkish league season now concluded, Be\u015fikta\u015f are\u00a0expected to face a tough task of keeping\u00a0Ndidi, who has been linked with a return to England\u00a0ahead of the summer transfer window, particularly with interest from Manchester United.<\/p>\n<p>The 16-time Turkish champions will be eager to keep\u00a0the Super Eagles captain ahead of a crucial season\u00a0ahead, as they look\u00a0to compete for trophies again and re-establish\u00a0themselves among\u00a0Turkey\u2019s\u00a0biggest clubs.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><img alt=\"<!-- Author Start -->Ayomide Oguntimehin<!-- Author End -->&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/ycGEJDr9VZlpO_5zujn3ZdvICxA=\/150&#215;150\/smart\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2024%2F12%2FAyomide-Oguntimehin-pics.jpg&#8221;  height=&#8221;80&#8243; width=&#8221;80&#8243;>\t\t<\/p>\n<div>\n<h3>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/author\/ayomide-oguntimehin\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tAyomide Oguntimehin\t\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tAyomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and Chief Editor at Soccernet.ng. He has interviewed Super Eagles stars like William Troost-Ekong, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Ademola Lookman, and is known for breaking major transfer stories.<\/p>\n<p>Ayomide has worked with Sports Brief, Naija News and served as Social Lead Editor at Legit.ng. He has also featured on Goal, TVC News, Sports Mole, and Milan News24. He holds a Master\u2019s degree and is currently pursuing a PhD. Follow Ayomide on X (formerly Twitter): @ayo_oguntimehin\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2026\/05\/besiktas-ndidi.html\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a>Ayomide Oguntimehin<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer Nigeria and Besiktas midfielder Wilfred Ndidi. Photo Credit: Besiktas\/X Former Super Eagles and Be\u015fikta\u015f goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu has delivered an honest assessment of Wilfred Ndidi\u2019s early impact at the Turkish club,\u00a0Soccernet.ng\u00a0reports. The Nigerian captain joined the Black Eagles last summer after leaving English side Leicester City, where he spent eight and a half years [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":906895,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[143840,115079,2005],"tags":[143839,18468],"class_list":{"0":"post-906894","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ex-besiktas","8":"category-omen","9":"category-soccer","10":"tag-ex-besiktas","11":"tag-omen"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/906894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=906894"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/906894\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/906895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=906894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=906894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=906894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}