Manchester City have agreed a £65 million deal with Everton for Iliman Ndiaye after moving decisively for the Senegal international following the collapse of their pursuit of Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo.
The agreement will see City pay Everton a guaranteed £60m, with another £5m available through performance-related bonuses. The breakthrough comes after negotiations accelerated rapidly on Monday evening.
City turned their full attention to Ndiaye after Liverpool rejected an £80m offer for Gakpo and decided they were unwilling to sell the Netherlands international without first securing a replacement.
City move quickly after Gakpo rejection
Ndiaye had appeared to be heading for Tottenham Hotspur only 24 hours earlier.
Spurs and Everton had been discussing a £60m transfer for the 26-year-old, with talks reaching an advanced stage. A separate deal that could have taken Richarlison back to Everton was also being negotiated.
Manchester City then re-entered the race after their move for Gakpo stalled.
Sky Sports reported on Monday that City were advancing in talks with Everton, with discussions moving quickly because the clubs were already in contact over Jack Grealish’s potential return to Merseyside.
The Times had earlier reported that City were attempting to hijack Tottenham’s move and had the financial resources to match the £60m figure Spurs had discussed with Everton.
City have now gone further, agreeing a package worth up to £65m.
Ndiaye targeted after major City departures
Ndiaye has emerged as an important target because of significant changes to City’s attacking options this summer.
Sávio and Omar Marmoush have both joined Tottenham, reducing Enzo Maresca’s choices in wide positions. City did not name a recognised winger among their substitutes for Friday’s victory over Crystal Palace, while Phil Foden was deployed out wide.
City therefore made signing another wide attacker one of their priorities before Tuesday’s 11pm transfer deadline.
Ndiaye offers considerable tactical flexibility. The Senegal international can operate from either flank and also play centrally behind a striker.
He has scored 17 goals in 74 appearances since joining Everton from Marseille in 2024.
His performances had attracted interest from several Premier League clubs, while he had rejected multiple Everton contract offers over the past year.
Tottenham suffer late transfer blow
City’s intervention represents a major setback for Tottenham, who had been confident of securing Ndiaye.
Spurs had turned to the Everton attacker after completing deals for Sávio and Marmoush, while Gakpo had also previously been on their list of targets.
However, Manchester City’s failed attempt to prise Gakpo away from Liverpool dramatically changed the situation.
Liverpool’s decision to retain Gakpo brought City back into the market for Ndiaye, and negotiations with Everton accelerated almost immediately.
City’s move also comes amid separate discussions between the two clubs over Grealish, who spent last season on loan at Everton and is interested in returning.
The £65m Ndiaye agreement now leaves City working to complete the remaining formalities before the transfer deadline, while Tottenham must decide whether to pursue another attacking target.
