Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Iliman Ndiaye this summer, although Everton’s purported £75 million valuation could deter the North London club from making a move, according to CaughtOffside.

Roberto De Zebi has been rampant in his first transfer window as Spurs boss so far, spending around £235 million on several reinforcements. Sandro Tonali was acquired for £100 million, while Mateus Fernandes arrived for £85 million and Jan Paul van Hecke joined for £52 million.

Martin Dubravka, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi have also been added to the Italian’s squad on free transfers.

Attention now turns to strengthening the attacking areas of Tottenham’s ensemble, with a striker and a wide player both on the agenda.

Ndiaye is a target for the Lilywhites, although Everton’s steep valuation and competition from a number of other clubs could make a potential deal for the Senegalese difficult.

Tottenham Monitoring Iliman Ndiaye’s Situation

Ndiaye has enjoyed two relatively productive seasons at Everton since completing his switch from Marseille to Merseyside in the summer of 2024. Netting eleven goals in his debut campaign in the north-west, he then followed that up with six goals and three assists last term.

This form has prompted several clubs to take a look at the ‘hugely exciting’ 26-year-old, including the likes of Spurs, Manchester United, Arsenal and Al-Hilal.

CaughtOffside indicate that Al-Hilal are currently best placed to land Ndiaye’s signature due to the financial package Everton are said to be demanding for one of their prized assets.

The Toffees reportedly want around £75 million for the former Sheffield United man – a sum the Saudi club would be comfortable meeting, but a figure Tottenham may deem excessive.

United are said to be the Premier League side most aggressively pursuing Ndiaye, with Spurs’ interest believed to be at a very preliminary stage for the time being.

Iliman Ndiaye Would Be an Astute Xavi Simons Replacement For Tottenham

It seems clear that De Zerbi is planning on using a mix of Conor Gallagher and James Maddison as his number ten options next season, in front of the newly-formed double pivot consisting of Fernandes and Tonali.

That likely means that Xavi Simons is pencilled in for a spot off the left once he returns, rather than a central role. The Dutchman sustained an ACL injury towards the back end of last season and will miss the majority of the upcoming campaign.

Thus, Spurs need a similar profile to Simons on this flank for the time being, and Ndiaye fits the bill. The Everton star is a creative wide forward, a prolific dribbler and excellent at operating in the left-half spaces, just like the former RB Leipzig man.

If Spurs can leapfrog the likes of United and Al-Hilal in the race to sign Ndiaye, they ought to do it.

Arsenal are monitoring the situation of Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye this summer, although they face significant competition for the player’s signature, according to CaughtOffside.

Ndiaye has impressed for the Toffees over the last two seasons since completing his move from Marseille in 2024, producing a fruitful campaign last term, in which he netted six goals and provided three assists in the Premier League. This form has sparked widespread interest from several top clubs, including the Gunners, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Al-Hilal.

United have been cited as the most keen potential suitors, although Everton’s purported £75 million asking price means the Saudi club have emerged as the frontrunners to land the Senegalese forward.

Nevertheless, Arsenal remain in the picture and could move for him if their pursuit of Vinicius Junior fails.

Arsenal Monitoring Iliman Ndiaye

Despite winning the Premier League title last season, Arsenal’s key decision-makers still feel as though Mikel Arteta’s attack could improve tenfold.

The Gunners are subsequently looking to go big on a left-sided forward, and are attempting to pull off an audacious move for Real Madrid’s Vinicius.

However, a prospective deal for the Brazilian is complicated and expensive, and thus, sporting director Andrea Berta is lining up alternatives.

CaughtOffside insist Ndiaye, described as ‘one of the best’ wingers in the Premier League, is one of the players the North Londoners are assessing as an option. United are believed to be the favourites to acquire the 26-year-old, although the finances behind the potential move mean Al-Hilal could be the player’s most likely destination.

Everton aren’t keen on losing one of their best attacking players, and have subsequently priced Ndiaye at £75 million.

Arsenal believe the Senegal international could be an excellent option for them off the left, although it remains to be seen whether they’d be willing to meet the Merseysiders’ valuation.

Arsenal Should Aim Higher Than Iliman Ndiaye

Since news broke that Arsenal are exploring a deal for Vinicius, discourse amongst Gunners supporters has been centred solely around the superstar. If the English champions don’t secure the Real Madrid man and ultimately end up turning to someone else, supporters of the North London club are inevitably going to feel somewhat underwhelmed, regardless of who the alternative is.

That said, Arsenal should aim higher than Ndiaye. While the Everton star is an excellent player in his own right, he wouldn’t definitely elevate the level of Arteta’s attack.

The Gunners need a superstar left winger who can produce at an elite rate in the final third, and Ndiaye’s production across his career doesn’t suggest he can be this.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or is one of the most unpredictable in years, with domestic performances and World Cup displays both being taken into account for the leading contenders.

However, there is no outstanding candidate to win the most prestigious individual award in world football. Lionel Messi and Rodri staked a serious claim with their World Cup performances, while Harry Kane and Michael Olise performed for both club and country across the year.

But who do the fans believe deserve the Golden Ball this year? Well, a fan vote carried out by L’Equipe after the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina showed there’s a clear favourite in their eyes.

Fan Vote Shows Who They Want to Win the Ballon d’Or

REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

Almost the entire vote was shared by 11 players. Jude Bellingham (0.5%) and Erling Haaland (1%) have the least chance of those names, sharing a small percentage of the fan vote. Bellingham netted seven goals as England finished third at the World Cup, while Haaland scored 58 in all competitions for club and country in the past season.

Michael Olise can perhaps feel a bit harshly treated here, as the Bayern Munich and France star finishes ninth in the fan vote. Despite breaking the assist record in a World Cup campaign (7), Olise has only been backed by 2.4%.

Likewise, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane share just 10% of the vote between them, despite being among the favourites in the eyes of some. Lamine Yamal, who is now a European and world champion, didn’t get much more support, with the Spain superstar just getting 7%.

Ahead of the teenager is a Paris Saint-Germain trio. Last year’s winner Ousmane Dembele (7.9%) and flying winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (9.8%) just missed out on a podium position for a surprise name.

Fabian Ruiz joined an exclusive club as one of the only players to ever win the Champions League and World Cup in the same season. He was a vital part of both PSG and Spain’s teams, too, so he maybe should be discussed more than he tends to be.

A staggering 48% is shared between the top two. Rodri, the 2024 winner and now a World Cup-winning captain, is the choice 16% would go for. But the Manchester City metronome is beaten in the poll by Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe.

He’s now the all-time leading scorer at World Cup finals after sealing the Golden Boot with 10 more goals this summer. The 27-year-old only won the Supercopa de Espana, but still managed 44 goals for Los Blancos.

Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 04-08-26.