Iliman Ndiaye transfer news has gained the limelight. Manchester City and Arsenal are both in pursuit of the Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye, with the Toffees holding firm on an £80 million asking price, according to talkSPORT. The 26-year-old Senegal international has rejected a contract extension at Goodison Park, leaving his future genuinely open ahead of the September 1 deadline.
City entered the race after selling Savinho to Tottenham for £85 million, with Omar Marmoush also heading to Spurs. Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta wants to reinforce his attack, though Julian Alvarez stays the club’s first-choice target. Ndiaye is the backup plan if Alvarez moves to Barcelona or simply stays put. Last season, Ndiaye made 32 Premier League starts, scoring 6 goals and contributing 3 assists. He started Everton’s 2-0 opener against Crystal Palace and provided a key assist.
Iliman Ndiaye transfer news: Who should sign him and why City hold the edge
This is a genuinely gripping late-window fight. Three clubs pulling in different directions. One player who’s clearly outgrown Goodison Park.
Start with Everton. Selling Ndiaye isn’t a choice they’re making happily; it’s a financial calculation they can’t avoid. He’s flatly refused to extend his contract, turned down a lucrative move to Al-Hilal, and is clearly determined to get his Champions League shot.
Sitting on a depreciating asset makes no sense. City’s player-plus-cash proposal, which would bring Jack Grealish back to Merseyside permanently, is sharp business. Grealish spent last season on loan under David Moyes and slotted in well. It softens the sporting loss while filling a gap in the squad.
For City, the need is urgent. Losing Savinho for £75-85 million punches a hole in Enzo Maresca’s wide options. Ndiaye’s numbers are striking: 95th percentile for successful take-ons at 2.7 per 90, 99th percentile for ball recoveries at 6.25 per 90. He presses hard, dribbles cleanly, and fits Maresca’s counter-pressing system better than most alternatives available this late in the window.
He’s also had a stellar 2025-26 season internationally, netting the winner in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals and registering a goal and assist for Senegal at the 2026 World Cup against Iraq.
Arsenal’s interest is harder to justify logically. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard already crowd the left flank. Bukayo Saka owns the right. Spending £80 million at this point on a player who’d mostly rotate makes little structural sense, regardless of how much Arteta admires Ndiaye’s pressing instincts.
Read: Transfer Soon – Arsenal begin talks to complete signing of £34m striker
The Grealish sweetener gives City a clear practical edge. Iliman Ndiaye transfer news is pointing firmly towards the Etihad.
