Iliman Ndiaye scores for Everton
At least Everton managed to pull off the loan signing of Jack Grealish on deadline day. Had Angus Kinnear and the Friedkin Group decision-makers failed on that front, David Moyes would be in purgatory.
Much has been made in recent days of the possibility of exploring the free agent market, but oftentimes, such panic buys fail to provide desperate seekers with bang for their buck.
Everton are interested in signing an attacker. Mauro Icardi and Anthony Martial have been touted, but both would command big wages and are at the later stages of their careers.
Everton star Jack Grealish
But Grealish could be enough. Against Manchester United on Sunday, he "completely changed the game", according to pundit Pat Nevin, and it's hard to see how Everton would have countered the sale of Iliman Ndiaye to Manchester City without the 31-year-old (happy birthday today) in the mix.
Why Everton have already moved on from Ndiaye
The obvious point here would be because Ndiaye no longer plays for Everton, that he has signed for Manchester City in a deal worth £65m.
But Grealish replaces him in more than just weight. The Three Lions playmaker now brings back to the Hill Dickinson a special kind of flair and on-field personality that Moyes' flagging frontline needs.
Ndiaye will be missed, though. The Senegalese winger had success on both flanks for the Merseysiders, and his wicked blend of pace and potency led Everton writer Lyndon Lloyd to remark that he has "magic in his boots".
Grealish and Ndiaye formed a special, albeit ephemeral, partnership, but Grealish has a new dance partner in Tyrique George, ready to take on the major stage this season. The young Chelsea youth graduate scored a sensational goal against Man United last weekend.
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Premier League Form (2025/26)
Stats (* per 90)
Matches (starts)
Goals
Assists
Shots (on target)*
Big chances missed
Accurate passes*
Big chances created
Key passes*
Succ. dribbles*
Recoveries*
Tackles + interceptions*
Duels won*
It's a good thing that George is emerging - though somewhat concerning that so much faith must be placed into such a young and inexperienced prospect now that Ndiaye has been sold.
Everton have stripped themselves of their attacking depth, and it's got us thinking: It's not the first time the Toffees have sold a talented winger who hadn't yet realised their full potential.
How Everton already sold a bigger talent than Ndiaye
Everton have had a lot of expensive traffic flow through their system over the years - and in fairness, every club has a tale of what might have been. But some sting more than others, and the failure to maximise Ademola Lookman's potential could mirror Ndiaye's own situation.
Ndiaye is still settling in at the Etihad Stadium, but there's no question that the fleet-footed forward has the potential to develop as a player and start entering some grander conversations. In a way, the same thing happened with Lookman, who has gone on to plunder riches with Atalanta and Atletico Madrid, who he joined for £30m in January 2026.
Lookman
One year ago, Lookman was described as "one of the best forwards in Europe" by journalist Oma Akatugba. Perhaps that's not quite true, but he's certainly not far away, having scored nine goals and supplied four assists across just 24 appearances last season.
For Everton, the 28-year-old only managed four strikes across 48 outings. Only one goal was bagged in the Premier League, illustrating his peripheral position at Goodison Park.
After a successful loan spell with RB Leipzig, the Nigeria international completed a permanent transfer to the German side, aged 21. This was seven years ago, and he hasn't looked back. Everton might have felt they had banked a good deal, but Lookman's sale prefaced some dark days for the Blues, who sank under Frank Lampard and then Sean Dyche, just about clinging onto their top-flight status.
Lookman. The man who crushed Bayer Leverkusen's dream of invincibility, leading Atalanta to the 2024 Europa League title. Everton could have developed him into a world-beater, but instead, he was sold - his inability to settle a reflection of the wider problems at Goodison Park back then.
Lookman's blistering speed and natural edge in front of goal certainly bears a likeness to Ndiaye. Now, neither play for Everton, and Moyes will need to grow George into a player of similarity - Brennan Johnson isn't showing that he has what it takes to step up to that plate.
ademola-lookman-atalanta
Without Ndiaye starring in the Everton attack, Moyes' job has just got a whole lot harder. He still has players to call upon, but the young George is the only flashy forward who can channel the kind of energy Ndiaye and a former flop like Lookman have within their locker.
Richarlison for Tottenham
Richarlison for Tottenham