Ndiaye Wants City Move as Everton Slap £80m Price Tag on Their Star Winger
Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye is seeking a move to Manchester City, according to Yahoo Sports — but his club have made clear any deal will cost a premium, valuing the Senegal international at around £80m (The Guardian).
City identified Ndiaye as a potential target after Sávio's departure to Tottenham for £75m left a gap in their attacking options (The Guardian). The Brazilian winger's sale freed up both budget and squad space, and Pep Guardiola's side have zeroed in on Ndiaye as the man to fill it.
The numbers tell the story of how quickly Ndiaye's stock has risen. Everton signed him from Marseille on 3 July 2024 for a fee worth up to €20m — around £16.9m at the time (The Guardian). Two years on, they are quoting nearly five times that figure. The 25-year-old wears Everton's number 10 shirt and lists as a winger on the club's official website, though his game is fluid enough to drift inside and create from central areas. His official club profile credits him with 11 goals across all competitions.
Ndiaye also brings 44 caps for Senegal, a track record that makes him attractive to a club like City, who value players steeped in international experience. He is contracted at Goodison Park until 2029, which strengthens Everton's negotiating position considerably — there is no ticking clock on his deal, no pressure to sell before his value erodes.
The timing adds a layer of tension. Ndiaye featured in Everton's match against Preston on 26 August 2026, where a counter-attack involving him led to a Dewsbury-Hall goal in a game Everton progressed through (Everton FC). He is very much still part of the side, even as his head appears turned toward the Etihad.
For Everton fans, the £80m valuation will carry a familiar mix of pride and dread. Pride, because the club have a player the champions want. Dread, because everyone remembers what happened the last time a prized asset became the subject of a protracted chase. The difference here is leverage: four years left on his contract means Everton hold cards they have not always held in summers past.
For City, the appeal is straightforward. Ndiaye is entering his peak years, plays a position where they have just lost cover, and brings the kind of versatility Guardiola prizes — able to stretch defences wide or tuck in and link play. Whether they are willing to meet an £80m asking price, or whether that figure is Everton's opening posture in a negotiation that dips as deadline day approaches, is the question that will shape the final weeks of the window.
What is certain is that Ndiaye wants the move. The rest is haggling.
