Iliman Ndiaye has outlined his ambitions at Everton while addressing summer transfer speculation
Iliman Ndiaye has expressed his desire to win a trophy with Everton. And the fan favourite has addressed rumoured interest over the summer from Champions League finalists Internazionale.
The Blues are currently enduring the longest silverware drought in their history, going back over three decades to when Joe Royle’s side defeated Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United 1-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley, almost five years before Ndiaye was born in Rouen on March 6, 2000.
Ahead of their Carabao Cup third-round game at Molineux, James Tarkowski spoke about the hope within the current Everton squad to have a shot at glory and said: “I think we’ve all seen Crystal Palace and Newcastle last year, teams outside the big six, have won a domestic trophy so there's no reason why we can’t go and do it.
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“There’s an emphasis on it as a club and as a team to go and win a trophy and go as far as we can in the competition so the group is definitely ready to go.”
However, a Blues team which saw seven changes by manager David Moyes, were subsequently dumped out of the competition with a 2-0 defeat to the Premier League’s bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Now Ndiaye, who followed up scoring Everton’s last two goals at Goodison Park with the opening strike at Hill Dickinson Stadium, has outlined his determination to lift silverware.
Speaking in the matchday programme for the 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in which he put in the stoppage time cross that resulted in Jack Grealish netting a dramatic winner to deny Oliver Glasner’s side extending their unbeaten run to 20 matches, Ndiaye said: “I want to achieve things with Everton, I want to win trophies, which the club hasn’t seen for too long and things like that.
“It’s an aim for us to work towards. You know, winning a trophy would be huge for this club and for the supporters, but also for me. It’s an ambition of mine, too.
“I’m not playing football for the sake of it or just to earn money, you know? Whenever I play, I want to be successful and do something for the club, leave my mark, win trophies. I want to be successful for myself and my family, as well as the club.
“It’s always an ambition and it’s in my head. I think knowing Everton hasn’t won a trophy for a long time, it’s now become an even bigger thing like: ‘Okay, we need to end this run.’ It’s something I’d love to do here.”
A report from the Athletic stated that Serie A giants Inter were prepared to pay £40million for Ndiaye’s services this summer, just a year on from his £15million move from Olympique Marseille.
Responding to the speculation, the Senegal international said: “I was always very keen to stay here and be part of this new chapter for Everton.
“As I always say, if there are rumours or interest like that, it must mean you’re doing something right, right?
“I’m really happy to be at this club and be part of a new project with the new stadium, new ownership.”