- Ndiaye has been one of Everton’s best signings in the Premier League era.
- The Senegalese was the club’s top scorer in his debut season.
- Continues to be a key man on Merseyside and is one of their best finishers.
Iliman Ndiaye’s arrival from Marseille in 2024 was one of Everton’s best pieces of business in modern-day football.
The winger arrived for a fee that was reported to be around £15 million, and has since greatly increased his value.
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup, the Senegalese international is set for a busy schedule as he looks to guide the Toffees to Europe and help his nation through a formidable group.
Everton will face a battle to keep Ndiaye, as he is proving to be one of the Premier League’s finest players.
Iliman Ndiaye is one of the best finishers in the Premier League
After scoring nine Premier League goals in his first season on Merseyside, the winger has scored six this season, including a phenomenal curling strike in Everton’s 3-0 win against Chelsea.
The Toffees’ goal-scoring ability has been questioned this season, with questions being raised around strikers Thierno Barry and Beto, as well as David Moyes’ tactical setup.
But Ndiaye is proving to be one of the best finishers in the Premier League this season.
According to Gradient Sports, only Eli Kroupi has registered a better shooting grade than the Senegalese, making him one of the most clinical forwards in the league.
Everton’s last match against Manchester City appeared to be an outlier with Ndiaye missing multiple opportunities, yet his impact over the course of the season has been huge.
Everton will be watching the FIFA World Cup nervously
The Toffees’ season has been characterised by one of progression, and they have built a platform to build on.
But as for any club in Everton’s situation, they face a struggle to keep their best players from outstanding teams, and this is one issue they will face in the summer.
As Ndiaye shapes up for Senegal ahead of the World Cup, his nation has been drawn into a group with France, Norway, and Iraq.
Some pundits have assigned this as the ‘group of death’, and if the Blues’ star man performs at the level he usually does, then the task of keeping the winger at Hill Dickinson Stadium will heighten dramatically.
A silver lining would be that Everton could fetch a record-breaking price tag for Ndiaye, but they would much rather keep the man who spearheads Moyes’ attack.
