When Iliman Ndiaye joined Everton in the summer of 2024, expectations were reasonable for the then-24-year-old winger. He'd struggled to impressed during his one season at Marseille, after bossing the Championship with Sheffield United for the two previous seasons.
What Everton got in the Senegal international was one of the Premier League's most exciting young players. He scored 9 goals during his debut campaign with the Toffees in 33 appearances, and followed it up with 6 more goals and three assists last year, despite missing a good chunk of games in both seasons due to injury and AFCON.
Considering Everton only paid roughly £17 millionon-field for him two summers ago, the on-field return on investment has been excellent, so it's no surprise that other top PL clubs have come sniffing around to see what the price might be.
And then, Fabrizio Romano came in yesterday with a fairly surprising addition to the rumor mill, indicating that "Al Hilal open talks to try sign Iliman Ndiaye from Everton," adding that the Saudi club "want one more star after Summerville and Iliman is high on the shortlist."
It's no shock to know that Saudi Arabian clubs have been throwing their weight around in world football over the last several years. And while it often involves bringing in older players for massive payouts, like with Cristiano Ronaldo, moves by Jhon Duran, Crysencio Summerville, and a few other younger stars have shown the real reach of Saudi's financial arm.
Romano added today that Al Hilal will be in direct talks with Everton this week and that Ndaiye is not against the move, although other outlets have indicated that he is "plan B" if the club can't convince Ousmane Dembélé to join and PSG to sell.
Should Everton sell Iliman Ndiaye?
But the question is still a vital one. Talks seem to have begun, or at least will in the coming days, and the Saudi clubs have shown a willingness to pay big money to attract talent. Summerville looks to earn West Ham somewhere in the neighborhood of £60 million as a Championship club.
The Dutch international is a little younger than Ndiaye, but Everton's position could be that since he's still under contract for three more seasons and they don't need to sell him, the money would have to be otherworldly to convince them to make the move.
Imagine £80 or £90 million (or more) to spend on a right back, a defensive midfielder, and replacing Ndiaye on the wing. The question is whether you trust this transfer setup at Everton to spend the money wisely.
And that's what it comes down to. Everton can't just sell Iliman Ndiaye because the number is massive. Without a plan of how to spend that influx of cash, either now (hopefully) or into the future, it would be a waste.
Frankly, Everton need to figure out a way to have both. They need to convince Ndiaye that he can aim high while at the club, not that he needs to leave to find it. Sure, they can't compete with the wages he'd get in Saudi Arabia, but if Everton can win, that can matter a great deal.
For their part, Everton have not changed their position on Ndiaye, as they do not want to sell. If that's the case, they need to fix the team around him, or sooner rather than later, he's going to want to go.
Add us as a preferred source on Google