Al-Hilal Nears Deal for Iliman Ndiaye as Personal Terms Agreed
Al-Hilal are closing in on a deal for Iliman Ndiaye after reaching agreement on personal terms with the Everton star, with only the transfer fee now standing between the Senegal international and a move to the Saudi Pro League.
The Saudi giants have tracked Ndiaye all summer, drawn by his rise into one of the Premier League’s most watchable forwards since arriving at Goodison Park from Marseille in a £15million deal. At 26, and entering his peak years, he has become the creative heartbeat of Everton’s attack.
Everton know it. So do Al-Hilal. And crucially, so does the player.
Personal terms agreed, pressure on Everton
Talks between Al-Hilal and Ndiaye’s camp have reached a decisive stage, with sources indicating that the forward has agreed the framework of a contract in Saudi Arabia. The focus now is squarely on negotiations between the clubs.
Al-Hilal have opened discussions with Everton and are pushing to accelerate the move. The Saudi side are described as “hopeful” of getting the deal done, but Everton’s valuation remains a major hurdle. The club are demanding a sizeable fee for a player who has become central to their plans.
Ndiaye has made his stance clear. He wants the move. He has already turned down several new contract offers from Everton since the start of the year, a sequence that has only strengthened the sense that his time on Merseyside is nearing its end.
Everton’s dilemma: cash in or dig in
From Everton’s perspective, this is now a high-stakes negotiation. Ndiaye has produced 17 goals and three assists in 71 appearances for the club since 2024, numbers that only tell part of the story of his influence. He carries the ball, breaks lines, and drags defenders into places they do not want to go. Replacing that profile is no simple task.
The Toffees, aware of both his importance and his contract situation, are determined to extract the highest possible fee. With personal terms already agreed between Ndiaye and Al-Hilal, the leverage has subtly shifted. Everton risk holding an unhappy player if they refuse to sell, but they also know Saudi clubs have the financial muscle to meet a premium price.
This is the tension that now defines the deal: a willing buyer, a willing player, and a selling club trying to make the numbers work in their favour.
Rowe lined up as the heir to Ndiaye
Behind the scenes, Everton are already plotting life after Ndiaye.
David Moyes, who will need another inventive playmaker if the Senegalese forward leaves in this window, has turned his attention to Bologna’s Jonathan Rowe. Former club chief Keith Wyness has revealed that Everton are keen on the 21-year-old, viewing him as a potential successor to Ndiaye’s role in the side.
Rowe, an England youth international, comes off a strong season in Serie A, where he registered eight goals and four assists in 43 games. Those figures, at his age, have not gone unnoticed. He offers energy, end product, and room to grow — the kind of profile that could be moulded into a long-term attacking pillar.
For now, everything hinges on Al-Hilal and Everton finding common ground on Ndiaye’s fee. If they do, one of the Premier League’s most entertaining attackers will swap Merseyside for Riyadh, and Everton will be forced to prove, quickly, that they can rebuild their attack around a new leading man.
