Tim Cahill was one of the star names of David Moyes' first spell at Everton.placeholder image
Tim Cahill was one of the star names of David Moyes' first spell at Everton. | AFP via Getty Images
Everton and David Moyes might have found their new Tim Cahill in a game-changing Toffees star
Everton have enjoyed a quiet resurgence under the returned David Moyes throughout 2025, though the Premier League table may not quite reflect just how far the Toffees could yet go this season.
Moyes’ side are currently 13th in the league, though they are just as many points away from third place as they are from the bottom three. Such a statistic will make welcome viewing for Toffees fans, who have experienced their great club go through the mire in recent years and just about retain their top-flight status.
With the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium bringing a new lease of life to the club as a whole, Everton could be a prolific striker away from challenging in the upper reaches of the table. That man has not proven to be either of Thierno Barry or Beto as of yet, with Moyes continuing to switch between the two as he seeks his perfect attacking formula.
There is one player in particular who has earnt rave reviews throughout the early months of the season, coming into his own and drawing potential comparisons with a Toffees legend - and it’s neither Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall nor Jack Grealish.
Iliman Ndiaye has been a revelation for Everton
The top performances of Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye predate this season, with the 25-year-old standing out for the Toffees ever since his arrival for £15million in July 2024. But he may have reached a new level so far this term, and the Premier League is taking notice.
Ndiaye has dazzled fans with his intricate dribbling and boundless creativity since back in his Sheffield United days, with many believing the Blades had consigned themselves to relegation when they sold the Senegal international to Marseille immediately following their promotion to the Premier League in 2023. That much proved to be true as the Blades went down, and Ndiaye was back in England when the Toffees snapped him up the following summer.
The 25-year-old is now adding more goals to his game, already bagging four goals and an assist this campaign after registering an impressive 11 strikes in all competitions last term. Ndiaye can decide games all on his own, and plays with a fearlessness reminiscent of his unique rise from YouTube team Rising Ballers to the Premier League in just a few short years. His form has even led to unwanted transfer speculation.
Ndiaye is already becoming Everton’s new Tim Cahill
There are few Everton players who have a greater claim to being a club legend in the Premier League era than Tim Cahill. The Australian scored 56 top-flight goals in eight years with the Toffees, scored in three World Cups and was even nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2006. He also had a knack of delivering at the crucial moments for the Blues of Merseyside.
A versatile attacking player capable of playing in multiple forward positions, Cahill played with the sort of freedom and enthusiasm enjoyed by Ndiaye in the present day. Both players have an eye for an iconic celebration, too - Cahill’s trademark punching of the corner flag is still remembered fondly by Toffees fans today, while Ndiaye has hit headlines for his various celebrations which have provoked opposition fans, including a seagull and a wolf.
Ndiaye has received huge amounts of praise throughout his time at Everton. Pundit Sue Smith said on Sky Sports following a goal by the Senegalese against Leicester City in September 2024: “This is all about [Iliman] Ndiaye and the quality he has shown on the left-hand side.
“Ashley Young picks the ball up and plays it into Ndiaye. There’s players in and around him and he actually starts the move off, plays the ball to Young and continues his run central. It’s poor defending from Leicester, but he just cuts inside on his right foot and then back across goal. Brilliant finish from him.”
While former Everton winger Pat Nevin said recently during the Toffees’ defeat at Manchester City: “You can’t take your eyes off Ndiaye. He is one of those players, if you are not supporting either team, you are thinking – ‘Can I see him on the ball again, please?’”
Everton will hope to hold onto Ndiaye for long enough to ensure the Senegalese holds a place within Toffees folklore comparable to that of Cahill. Amidst growing interest from Premier League rivals and beyond, they will face a challenge to hold onto him - but the former semi-pro prodigy could become an Everton legend if he does stick around for the long run.
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