Everton deal for Iliman Ndiaye would be 'strange' and a 'bit far-fetched'

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·21 December 2023

Everton deal for Iliman Ndiaye would be 'strange' and a 'bit far-fetched'

Everton's interest in Marseille striker Iliman Ndiaye seems a bit "far-fetched" at Goodison Park.
The Senegal international is likely to jet off to the African Cup of Nations in January after struggling to break into the Marseille team.
Meanwhile, Sean Dyche's side could be preparing to lose centre-back Ben Godfrey, with Tottenham Hotspur interested in his services.

Everton’s interest in Marseille striker Iliman Ndiaye is a surprise and seems “a little bit far-fetched”, as journalist Paul Brown considers the repercussions of a transfer to Goodison Park during the 2024 winter window.

Toffees head coach Sean Dyche has masterminded an excellent run of form in recent weeks, with his side now sitting above the Premier League’s relegation zone despite receiving a ten-point deduction for failing to comply with profit and sustainability rules.

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Everton have been solid at the back but could look at cover for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose fitness issues have traditionally made him unreliable for a regular run in the team. Dyche hopes he will be backed in the new year and continue to lead his side further up the table and away from the relegation zone.

Everton’s 2023/24 season so far

Had you told Everton fans in September that their club would receive a ten-point deduction in two months, they would have felt the writing was on the wall for their relegation from the Premier League. A 2-1 home defeat to Luton Town on 30th September 2023 had left the Toffees sitting in 16th place, one point above the drop zone, having earned just four points from their first seven league fixtures.

However, a run of just two defeats in ten fixtures means that Everton have pulled seven points clear of the place in the Premier League’s bottom three and would have been sitting in tenth had they not been punished with a ten-point deduction in November.

Everton’s form has dramatically improved with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s presence in the starting lineup, offering Dyche’s side someone to hold the ball up and drive at opposition defences. But the 26-year-old has had his fair share of absences through injury recently, with Beto signing in a £25.75m deal during the summer of 2023 to offer the England international competition.

According to Alan Nixon, Everton are one of several Premier League clubs interested in making a move for Marseille’s Ndiaye. The 23-year-old left Sheffield United for the Ligue 1 giants for a reported £20m in August but could now find himself back in England come the 2024 winter transfer window.

His former club are said to be watching developments, with Everton and Crystal Palace also monitoring the situation. The report adds that if Marseille show any inclination to sanction an Ndiaye departure, then the Toffees will be at the front of the queue.

Paul Brown on Iliman Ndiaye to Everton

Brown claims he would be surprised if Everton were to move for Ndiaye, given his lack of playing time at Marseille. The Senegal international is also expected to fly to the Ivory Coast in January for the African Cup of Nations tournament. Brown told GIVEMESPORT:

“I'm surprised by this one because he's not getting much game time at Marseille. As far as I know, he'd be eligible for Senegal for the African Cup of Nations. He played in both of their recent World Cup qualifiers in November. If he were to go away for AFCON, it would be a little strange to bring a player in who can't play for you for the first few weeks that he'd be expected to arrive. So, that one seems a little bit far-fetched to me. But you never know.”

Everton transfer news, including Ben Godfrey's future

With the 2024 winter transfer window on the horizon, Dyche will be considering which players he wants to sign and sell to bolster his side’s chances of a top-half finish. Transfer insider Dean Jones has recently told GIVEMESPORT (14th December) that there is truth in Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Everton centre-back Ben Godfrey.

The defender has barely had a look this season, with Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski being Dyche’s centre-back partnership of choice. Spurs are looking for cover after recently experiencing an injury crisis in their backline, and a cut-price move for Godfrey could be the type of smart transfer Daniel Levy is looking at making.

Meanwhile, Football Insider reports that Manchester City had asked Everton to pay a £7.5m loan fee to sign Kalvin Phillips on loan during the 2023 summer transfer window. The Toffees had enquired about signing the 28-year-old on loan for the 2023/24 season, but City claimed they wanted his wages covered on top of the fee. However, Phillips was reluctant to join Everton in any case, and a deal never got moving, with the England international remaining at the Etihad Stadium.

Everton face a trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to take on Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs side on 23rd December. That precedes a meeting with reigning treble holders Manchester City on 27th December before a visit to Wolverhampton Wanderers, which concludes 2023 on the 30th.