Iliman Ndiaye has agreed personal terms with Al Hilal, according to FootyInsider’s transfer specialist Pete O’Rourke, leaving the fee as the only obstacle standing between the winger and a move to the Saudi Pro League.
It’s a meaningful step from where this stood even a day ago. Everton have been holding out for a fee in the region of £70m, the same figure they received from Newcastle for Anthony Gordon, and no formal offer has yet been submitted by the Saudi club.
That valuation hasn’t moved.
What has changed is that Ndiaye’s own position is no longer in doubt — personal terms are agreed only if a player is serious about going.
That puts more pressure on Everton than before, even if the leverage technically still sits with them.
Ndiaye has three years left on his contract, and the club have made it clear that any departure will happen on their terms, not on Ndiaye’s, and certainly not for ‘mates rates.’
Al Hilal now need to decide whether to match Everton’s valuation. Any money is usually no obstacle to them.
Personal terms agreed are usually the easy part of one of these deals — the harder conversation, over a fee neither side has publicly moved on, is still to come.
But… it’s hard to see this one coming back from the brink. Ndiaye is off.
