Iliman Ndiaye has had a remarkable rise to the top, from his teenage years at Boreham Wood to a spell with Hyde United and a breakthrough at Sheffield United. The Manchester Evening News speaks to those who have shaped the Manchester City new boy's career
Manchester City's Iliman Ndiaye
Iliman Ndiaye could make his Manchester City debut against Coventry having been playing for Hyde United as recently as 2020(Image: Manchester City )
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Iliman Ndiaye was hoping to make it at Sheffield United when he dropped down to the seventh tier of English football to get some minutes at Hyde United. The then 19-year-old walked into an environment that was unforgiving - particularly if he acted as if he was above the level.
Instead, he instantly got teammates on side with his attitude as much as his outrageous tricks in training. Having been naturally cautious of what this teenager would think of tumbling down the pyramid, the squad were soon picking him up and dropping him off at the train station around every training session and rushing to his side whenever he was targeted by opposition players in matches.
"He just wanted touches of the ball, he wanted to be playing," Hyde's manager at the time Dave McGurk told the Manchester Evening News. "That brings its own kind of qualities that people like within the squad and the management. He wanted to be there. We've had loan players in the past, young players, where they feel like it's a punishment going down to clubs in the lower levels but he completely embraced it. As long as there was a ball at his feet and he could play, that's all he cared about.