Idrissa Gana Gueye Leaves Everton After Seven Seasons
Idrissa Gana Gueye’s Everton story is over. No fanfare, no drawn-out saga. Just a clear line in the sand from the club: the midfielder will not be signing a new deal and has now left after his contract expired at the end of June.
For a player who built a reputation on interceptions and industry rather than headlines, it is a fittingly understated exit. But the impact he leaves behind at Goodison Park is anything but quiet.
The 36-year-old departs after 236 appearances across two spells, a figure that underlines how heavily successive managers have leaned on him. From his first arrival from Aston Villa in August 2016, through his return from Paris Saint-Germain in 2022, Gueye has been a constant reference point in chaotic times: the man who plugged gaps, chased lost causes, and set the tone without needing the armband.
This summer, talks with the Everton hierarchy ended with a decisive conclusion. The club confirmed that, following discussions in recent weeks, Gueye will “pursue a new challenge elsewhere.” That new challenge is expected to be in the Saudi Pro League with Al Diriyah, a move that mirrors the path of many seasoned European campaigners seeking one final stage.
“Everyone at Everton is hugely grateful for Gana’s dedication, professionalism, and influence on the pitch throughout his two spells at the club,”
the Blues boss said, highlighting the midfielder’s presence not just on matchdays but in the fabric of the dressing room.
Those leadership qualities, Moyes stressed, were especially vital in Everton’s final season at Goodison Park, a campaign loaded with tension and emotion. When the club needed calm heads and relentless legs, Gueye provided both.
“His leadership qualities in and around the dressing room proved crucial, particularly in our final season at Goodison. His commitment to the club over many years was exceptional,”
Moyes added, a clear indication of how deeply the 36-year-old was woven into the club’s recent survival fights and transitional years.
For Everton supporters, Gueye’s career on Merseyside splits into two distinct chapters but with a familiar theme. The first spell, beginning in 2016, quickly established him as one of the Premier League’s most effective ball-winners. The second, after three years at PSG, brought back an older, wiser version of the same player, still snapping into tackles, still reading danger seconds before others saw it.
Now the curtain falls. No testimonial, no lengthy farewell tour. Just a firm thank you and a door left open.
“Everyone connected to Everton thanks Gana – he will always be welcome at the club – and we wish him and his family all the very best for the future,”
Moyes said, drawing a line under one of the club’s most reliable modern servants.
Gueye moves on to his next challenge. Everton move on to life without the man who so often held their midfield together. The question now is simple: who takes on that responsibility in the first season of a very different Goodison era?
