Ndiaye on Radar for Manchester City and Arsenal
Manchester City and Arsenal are locked on the same target – and Everton know it.
talkSPORT report that both of the Premier League’s modern heavyweights have set their sights on Ndiaye, the Senegal international who has muscled his way into the conversation as one of the division’s most dangerous forwards. Scouts from the Etihad and the Emirates have tracked him closely, and the race is starting to tighten.
Everton’s response? A firm stance and a huge price.
The club have slapped an £80 million valuation on their star, a figure that underlines both his influence on David Moyes’ system and the scale of his potential. With Ndiaye tied down on Merseyside until the summer of 2029, the Toffees hold a powerful hand. They do not need to sell. If anyone wants to change that, they will have to pay.
The tension around his future has only grown since the summer. Ndiaye has already rejected a new contract offer from Everton, declining the chance to commit his long-term future to Goodison Park. That refusal has been read as a clear signal: he is ready to test himself at the very top of European football.
Clubs like City and Arsenal do not ignore that kind of signal. They move.
This is not the first time Ndiaye has edged towards the exit door. Earlier in the window, he came close to a move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, in a deal that would have seen him join the wave of European talent heading to the Middle East. The transfer never got over the line, but the scale of interest from Saudi Arabia underlined how far his reputation now reaches beyond English football.
For Arsenal, the chase carries an extra layer of intrigue. Mikel Arteta has long been searching for a forward to complete his attacking jigsaw, someone who can elevate an already slick frontline into something truly ruthless. The ideal name on their board remains Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, but the Argentine’s preference for a switch to Barcelona has tangled that pursuit.
Alvarez is understood to favour the difficult route to Camp Nou. That stance has forced Arsenal to widen their lens.
Ndiaye, in that context, becomes a compelling alternative. He can operate across the front three, drift inside as a creator, or slot in as a number ten. That versatility makes him a rare asset and an appealing Plan B if the Alvarez dream collapses.
Across the divide, Manchester City are studying the same player with their usual cold clarity. Enzo Maresca’s recruitment team have tracked Ndiaye’s progress since his return to England from Ligue 1 and see a profile that fits neatly into the City blueprint: technically sharp, relentless off the ball, comfortable in tight pockets of space.
He has justified that attention in an Everton shirt. Since arriving from Marseille in 2024, Ndiaye has embraced the Premier League’s physical edge and tempo. Last season he produced six goals and three assists in 32 league appearances. On paper, those numbers do not sit alongside the division’s elite scorers, but that is only part of the story.
Within Moyes’ setup, Ndiaye has become the connector. He drops in to knit play, drives Everton from defence into attack, and drags defenders into areas they do not want to go. That blend of work rate and intelligence has made him central to how the team functions, which is exactly why Everton feel emboldened to demand a premium fee.
His rise has not been confined to club football either. Ndiaye has carried his form onto the international stage with Senegal, featuring in their World Cup campaign and contributing a goal and two assists as they reached the last 32. On that platform, under that pressure, he still delivered.
So the picture is clear. Everton have a forward entering his prime, under a long contract, with suitors at the very top of the game circling and a price tag to match. City and Arsenal both see a player who fits their footballing ideals.
The question now is simple: who is willing to test Everton’s resolve and pay the premium for a forward who looks ready for the next step?
