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Tottenham Hotspur’s Brazilian striker #09 Richarlison (R) vies with Everton’s Senegalese striker #10 Iliman Ndiaye (L) during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on May 24, 2026. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images)
Another day, another suitor for Iliman Ndiaye. In today’s version, it’s Tottenham Hotspur who have reached an agreement in principle with Everton for the Senegal international for a fee of about £60 million.
In his comments yesterday after Spurs sunk to their second consecutive league defeat to start the season, Roberto De Zerbi indicated that Richarlison had asked to leave the club ‘many times’, and now that will be allowed with a move to the Toffees accepted for about £35 million.
Tottenham’s very expensive squad makeover continues, with nearly £400 million spent just this summer and De Zerbi is certainly feeling the heat. Ndiaye will make them more difficult to play against with his work rate on and off the ball, but a big criticism against him has always been the lack of end product. The skill is certainly there, but the goals and assists don’t come as often they should.
There had been a hue and cry when Everton had been forced to sell Richarlison quickly to Spurs a few years ago for £60m to balance the books at the end of the financial year, when his performances saving Everton from relegation demanded more. Now it looks like the Toffees are selling another forward in his prime for lower than his market value, and to add insult to injury, are overpaying for the Brazilian to return too given how his career has tailed off with injuries and the like.
As of this afternoon the Toffees appear to still be working on a loan for Jack Grealish, close to making a move for right back Kenny Tete from Fulham, and also have an interest in USMNT striker Folarin Balogun. Beto appears to be headed to Fiorentina and Adam Aznou on loan to Malaga.
This latest round of transfer rumours basically indicates that Everton are shifting into “win now” mode with adding older, Premier League-proven players. The concern will be that at the end of the year with David Moyes’ contract up, the next manager could get saddled with the debt.