‘Players have a taste for winning’

said. “We, as players, we know what we want as a group.

“We know what we want to achieve and I think it’s something that we all look forward to.

“I’m really proud of the group with what we achieved last season. It was a really great feeling.”

Ndidi, who joined City in 2017, said: “Some of the players weren’t here when Leicester won the league, which was obviously a great, great feeling, and the players who weren’t here then, now we have a feeling of actually winning something.

“It’s an incredible feeling and it’s something we want to push and look forward to having that feeling again. It’s really great. It’s something we push for and we’ll see what comes out of this season.”

But the players cannot get too far ahead of themselves, with fitness the priority right now. They are starting their second week of pre-season training on Monday, with a match to follow at the end as they travel to League One side Burton Albion on Saturday.

“It’s been tough and it’s been really good,” Ndidi said after a week of running and gym work.

“After the break, we need the pre-season. We’re used to it, so it’s normal for us, but I’ve missed playing.

“It’s just one month or so, so being back and starting training with the lads, just running and playing football, it feels refreshing. It’s really nice.

“It’s been great because being away from these lads for over a month, coming back to see them, with great smiles, and everyone’s happy, it’s really good.

“In pre-season, we take it slowly. We don’t rush into playing games. It’s training in order to play the games, to get the muscles going and the cobwebs out.

“It’s just something we’re planning. Slowly, slowly, we’ll be ready for the games.”