Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi will begin next season under new management at Besiktas after the Turkish club formally announced the appointment of Vincenzo Italiano as head coach on Saturday, bringing an end to weeks of speculation over who would lead the club’s rebuild following a deeply disappointing campaign.

Italiano, 48, signed a contract running until the end of the 2027-28 season, with Besiktas confirming the deal through a formal disclosure to the Public Disclosure Platform.

The Italian arrives from Bologna, where he spent two seasons in Serie A after previously managing Fiorentina and Spezia.

His appointment ends the tenure of Sergen Yalcin, whose exit was confirmed after Besiktas endured one of the worst seasons in the club’s recent history. The Istanbul side finished fourth in the Süper Lig, trailing champions Galatasaray by 17 points — a performance widely regarded as a failure for a club of Besiktas’s stature and expectations.

For Ndidi, the appointment brings fresh uncertainty after an already turbulent first season in Turkey.

The 29-year-old Lagos-born defensive midfielder joined Besiktas from Leicester City in August 2025 in a deal worth €8m, signing a three-year contract with an option for a further year. He was appointed vice captain in October 2025 and went on to make 25 appearances during the season, contributing two goals and one assist.

His time at Leicester City, which lasted eight years from 2017 to 2025, had been defined by consistent performances as one of the Premier League’s most reliable defensive midfielders.

However, Turkish sports commentator Mustafa Demirtas has suggested that Ndidi could be among the first players Italiano addresses, citing concerns that the Nigerian does not fit the Italian’s tactical system.

Demirtas stated publicly that Italiano’s style has no room for the type of holding midfielder Ndidi represents, and that Besiktas are expected to sign a different profile in that position during the summer window.