Player Profile: Evan Ndicka

Player Profile: Evan Ndicka

By Oli Dickson Jefford
After a fairly quiet January transfer window, Arsenal fans will want to see a handful of players heading to North London this summer.
One of those rumoured to be heading to the Emirates is Eintracht Frankfurt star Evan Ndicka, one of the most sought-after defenders in the Bundesliga.
Here is all you need to know about the Frenchman who could be making his way to the Premier League in a few months' time.

Background

Born in Paris, Ndicka joined Auxerre’s academy aged 13 and just four years later made his professional debut in a 1-0 victory over Clermont in January 2017.
That impressive debut saw him handed a professional contract by the Ligue 2 side, though he struggled to force his way into the first XI on a regular basis with just 14 appearances over the next season and a half.
With game time limited, the club was willing to sell him and Eintracht Frankfurt signed him in July 2018, for a fee of around £5.5m.
And he made an immediate impact in his debut season, winning the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month award in February 2019 and featuring regularly for the side in their league and Europa League campaigns.
He missed only one match in the second half of that season as the club narrowly missed out on the Champions League places, and he has been a key player ever since.
Ndicka has also represented France at various age levels, but has yet to make a senior international appearance.

Key Attributes

Despite not turning 23 until August, Ndicka has already made over 100 career appearances and has an array of top-flight experience in a strong European league.
That will undoubtedly be a huge advantage for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, who is looking to build a youthful side that also has enough experience to contend for trophies.
Ndicka is also recognised for his physical strength and in particular his heading ability, which is something that will be valued considering that Arsenal have looked vulnerable at times this season.

Will he join?

It looks likely that Ndicka will be leaving Germany this summer, and Arsenal are among the favourites to sign him when the transfer window opens at the end of the season.
However, they are set to have some competition for the Frenchman’s signature, with North London rivals Tottenham also though to be interested in him.
With their own defensive woes, it is easy to see why Spurs are also in the market for a defender who has a lot of potential.
However, the Gunners are thought to be leading the way in the hunt for Ndicka and could well be a fruitful signing should they manage to pull it off.

Photo Credit: Getty Images 

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