Kilmarnock's Ndaba 'to have Lecce medical'

Kilmarnock centre-half Corrie Ndaba is close to finalising a transfer to Lecce, the Serie A club have announced.

Lecce have posted a photograph of the 25-year-old Irishman with a club scarf on their X account, saying he arrived on Saturday afternoon for a medical, which "will be completed on Monday".

That explained Ndaba's absence from Kilmarnock's match-day squad as Stuart Kettlewell's side defeated East Fife 4-0 to secure top spot in their Premier Sports Cup group and progress to the last 16.

The defender signed a three-year contract with the Scottish Premiership club last summer after leaving Ipswich Town following a season on loan to Kilmarnock.

He made 39 appearances, all but two of them starts, last season as the Ayrshire side finished ninth in the Scottish top flight.

Now he appears likely to complete a move to the club who have just brought Eusebio Di Francesco back for a second spell as head coach after leaving relegated Venezia.

Lecce themselves finished 17th in the Italian top flight, one place above the relegation spots.

Ndaba, who played for Republic of Ireland at under-18 level, failed to break into Ipswich's first team after coming through the Championship club's youth ranks and had loan spells with Hemel Hempstead Town, Chelmsford City, Ayr United, Salford City, Burton Albion and Fleetwood Town before joining Kilmarnock.