Manchester United want Iliman Ndiaye. More importantly, Ndiaye apparently wants Manchester United. That combination of club interest and player desire is rare enough that this summer move feels closer to a question of price than anything else.
The Everton forward has had a remarkable season at Goodison Park, and now every big club in England seems to have an opinion on him. Arsenal have been watching. Liverpool have been making calls. But United have moved to the front, and the player's preference for Old Trafford is the detail that changes the whole dynamic.
What Makes Ndiaye So Attractive
Pace, directness, and the ability to play across the front line. The 25-year-old Senegalese international joined Everton from Marseille in the summer of 2024 for around £17m — one of the bargain transfers of that window — and has made the kind of impact that makes those clubs who passed on him look very ordinary indeed.
He presses hard, he runs in behind, and he can go one-on-one with defenders without needing seventeen touches first. In the current Premier League, where transitions happen at terrifying speed, players who think quickly in space are worth serious money. Hence why Everton are demanding somewhere between £70m and £87m for a man they signed less than two years ago.
United's Position
INEOS have been watching Ndiaye and the positive noises about the player's desire to join United make this feel like more than just speculation. United need attacking reinforcements badly. Their forward options have been inconsistent all season, and there is a real sense that Ruben Amorim wants someone with Ndiaye's profile — quick, aggressive, able to press from the front and punish mistakes in behind.
The fee is the issue. Can United justify spending £70m-plus on a forward when there are other priorities? The answer depends on how serious INEOS are about the rebuild, and how convinced they are that Ndiaye can perform consistently at the top level over a full season. His Everton numbers suggest he can.
The Liverpool and Arsenal Complication
Neither Liverpool nor Arsenal are out of this. Liverpool have reportedly been intensifying their interest, and the idea of a cross-city raid — signing Everton's best player — would carry some obvious appeal beyond just the football. Arsenal's interest is more about squad depth and adding unpredictability to a front line that can sometimes feel too structured.
But both of those clubs face the same problem: Ndiaye wants United. That kind of thing is hard to overcome in a negotiation. Players who go somewhere they did not choose often take time to settle, and no club wants that risk with a £70m purchase.
Everton's Impossible Position
Everton say they do not want to sell. The reality is that their financial situation gives them limited leverage. If United, Arsenal or Liverpool come in with a serious offer above £70m, it becomes very hard to say no. The player has a long contract until 2029, which gives Everton some negotiating power, but not enough to stop the inevitable if the money is right.
Watch for this one to heat up in May. The summer window is going to be loud.
0 Comments