Wilfred Ndidi has re-pledged his allegiance to Leicester City amid speculation in his homeland linking him with a summer move to European and Spanish powerhouse Barcelona.

The highly-rated central midfielder flew to Spain on Tuesday morning, and it should be noted that he didn't travel to Marbella for any transfer talks with the Nou Camp outfit but for a warm weather training camp with the Foxes squad ahead of Sunday's Emirates FA Cup clash at the KP against Chelsea.

Ndidi's representative was quick to dismiss reports of a transfer to Barcelona when he was contacted, saying the Super Eagles star is one of Leicester City's most important players and manager Claude Puel wants to build the squad around him.

''Ndidi is not leaving Leicester City, the interest from Barcelona is news to us, there has been no contact. They want to build the team around him,'' the top source told allnigeriasoccer.com.

''The management of Leicester City believe in him, they want to do everything possible to make the club bigger.

''They have won the Premier League before and want to win it again, that's why Riyad Mahrez was not sold in January.''

Ndidi has made the most tackles in the English top-flight after 30 matches, 125 in total, ahead of Idrissa Gueye (Everton) and N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea).

The 21-year-old is contracted to Leicester City until the end of the end of the 2021-2022 season.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel