Senegalese star Iliman Ndiaye is no doubt one of Everton’s biggest stars. However, he is also one of their biggest assets, writes Transfer News Blitz‘s Dylan Grady.
With Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal currently sniffing around the 26-year-old, Everton could well be tempted by the offer, and see it as too good to turn down.
The kind of money being reported in the region of £70-80m could well and truly kick Everton’s summer window into gear, with much-needed players to be signed for vital positions such as defensive midfield and right-back.
Ndiaye’s last two years at Everton could carry the argument that he has been the Toffees’ best player, scoring historic goals such as the last two at Goodison Park, and also the first at The Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Money talks
However, the financial power the Saudi Pro League teams have due to the investment from the PIF has been seen in the last few years, with many players moving to the Middle East from the Premier League.
Already this summer, West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville made the switch over to Al-Hilal for a reported £65 million with add-ons.
Also, in previous years, players such as Jhon Duran and Moussa Diaby moved to Saudi Arabia, with both their fees combining to reach £130 million.
This sort of fee for Ndiaye could certainly sort the cash flow stagnation at Everton this summer, and sort the well-needed positions at the club.
More signings needed
Everton went into the summer window with a reported £60-70 million to play with.
They have already spent over the £60 million mark with the arrival of Hayden Hackney for £20 million, and also the two loan deals being made permanent for Merlin Rohl and Tyrique George for a combined £40 million.
Everton are in need of a big sale so they can once again spend in the summer window.
Last summer was Everton’s new owners, The Friedkin Group’s first summer transfer window, evident by the change in personnel to the people now deciding the signings for Everton.
Everton, in the last year, appointed Angus Kinnear, previously of Leeds United, as their CEO.
Nick Cox, previously of Manchester United, was also appointed as Technical Director, therefore working closely with Kinnear in the recruitment department.
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Summer window shopping
Kinnear commented at the start of last summer that there was a ‘two window plan’ for the two summer transfer windows.
The 2025 summer window was to put in place the foundations of Everton’s new-look squad with £130 million or so to play with, and this summer was to attack the window.
Currently, that isn’t to be the case with Everton’s window in the last month being quite stale with little to no major links or signings.
For many years Everton have been searching for a new right-back – and with club legend Seamus Coleman having left the club after 17 years, they certainly need one now.
Centre-back Jake O’Brien has been filling in since David Moyes’ arrival in January 2025, and prior to that, Nathan Patterson played a bit-part role since signing in January 2022.
Patterson seems to be on the way out, with Eintracht Frankfurt currently in talks with the Scot, due to the lack of game time he has had since joining the Toffees.
Specialist right-back required
That would leave no out-and-out right-back at the club, with O’Brien still filling in, James Garner can do a job there, and also Merlin Rohl has been seen a few times last season and in pre-season playing there.
In the last year, Everton have been linked to a few right-backs, with Sevilla’s Juanlu Sanchez at one point looking like he might make the jump to the Premier League.
However, in the last few days, Bournemouth seem to have snapped him up for a good price of £9.5 million.
They’ve also been linked to Brooke Norton-Cuffy in January and this summer, with Everton being reported in both windows as not wanting to jump into anything too quickly with the Italian side Genoa.
Top target for Toffees
Everton’s main target, again in January and at the start of the summer window, was Strasbourg’s and Ivory Coast’s Guela Doue.
The Toffees didn’t take the plunge in January for a price of around £25m, and also waited out at the start of this window.
Now, that looks to be a real mistake, with Doue having an impressive tournament, and Strasbourg’s asking price shooting up to £40m.
The 23-year-old looks to be way out of reach now, with PSG looking to add him to their squad, alongside his brother Desire Doue.
Everton have now seemed to set their sights on Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston.
The 27-year-old Canadian also had a good World Cup tournament for one of the host nations, and the reported fee of £15m including add-ons wouldn’t be the worst pick-up for the much-needed full-back spot.
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No.6 role on the radar
The other position which Everton fans over the years have scrutinised the recruitment team and board for is the defensive midfield position, or the No.6 role.
Everton have been needing a player who can just sit in front of the defence and not really move from that area.
James Garner has quality and an abundance of attributes but is considered more of a box-to-box midfielder, and with Idrissa Gana Gueye having left on a free, this role is integral to David Moyes’ midfield.
Players such as Pape Gueye of Villarreal and Madela Keita of Parma have been linked, but Everton seem to have got their man for good value.
Christian Norgaard of Arsenal and formerly Brentford is expected to make the switch from London to the North West for just £7m.
While the Dane is 32 years old, he adds massive experience as the former Brentford captain, also having just spent a year at Arsenal, winning the Premier League.
Norgaard will surely play as many minutes as possible, and looks to be a shrewd signing for the Toffees.
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