Everton Stands Firm on Iliman Ndiaye Amid Manchester United Interest
Manchester United have identified Iliman Ndiaye as a serious summer option. Everton’s response has been to slam the door and bolt it.
The club are preparing to place what has been described as a “prohibitive valuation” on the Senegal international after United, and Liverpool, registered interest in a player David Moyes insists is going nowhere.
United reload under Carrick
With Michael Carrick now confirmed as permanent manager after steering United back into the Champions League, Old Trafford is gearing up for a busy window. The rebuild is no longer theoretical. It has to withstand the demands of a season fought on multiple fronts.
Midfield is the first construction site. Ederson is poised to arrive from Atalanta, a move designed to give United more bite and balance in the centre of the pitch. But Carrick and the recruitment team also want greater firepower and flexibility across the front line.
A deal for Brentford striker Igor Thiago is being worked on. At the same time, Ndiaye’s name has moved up the list of wide attacking options, his profile ticking a lot of boxes for a manager who values intelligence and versatility in the final third.
A contract stand-off Everton can’t ignore
Ndiaye’s situation at Everton has given rivals encouragement. The 26-year-old, who joined from Marseille for £15m in 2024, is locked in a contract stand-off with the club. He has turned down multiple offers over the past year and is refusing to sign a new deal unless it includes an exit clause.
The forward is currently preparing for the World Cup with Senegal, but his future at club level is anything but settled.
Everton, though, still hold strong cards. Ndiaye has three years left on his current contract, and Moyes has made it abundantly clear he does not want to lose one of his most dynamic players, even with financial pressures looming and the need to refresh parts of the squad.
Moyes draws a line
Moyes has rarely been so blunt about a player’s importance.
Speaking in April, as rumours of a summer move began to gather pace, he did not leave much room for interpretation.
“He is the last person I would consider selling,” the Everton manager said. “There are others as well [that I wouldn’t want to sell], but my point is I have no interest in hearing the talk if there is talk out there.
“But it is getting too hard to build teams and also supporters are looking for a quick return, which managers are not getting. So why would we be giving up their better players?”
In a market where almost everyone has a price, that is as close as it gets to a manager slamming the shutters down.
The £69m deterrent
Everton’s stance is now being backed up by hard numbers. According to The Athletic, the club will demand around £69m (€80m / $92.7m) just to consider a sale.
That figure is no accident. It leans heavily on Anthony Gordon’s recent £70m move from Newcastle United to Barcelona, a benchmark Everton believe reflects where the market sits for a prime-age, Premier League-proven wide forward.
The message is clear: if United, Liverpool or anyone else want Ndiaye, they will have to pay elite money for him.
Everton’s hope is that such a valuation cools interest and buys them time to either persuade Ndiaye to sign a new, more lucrative deal on their terms, or at least ensure they are fully protected if the situation becomes untenable.
A forward built for the modern game
Ndiaye’s appeal is obvious. Last season, he spent most of his time on the right wing for Moyes, but he also featured 11 times on the left. Across the campaign he produced six goals and three assists, numbers that only tell part of the story.
He stretches defences, drifts into pockets, and gives managers tactical options. For United and Liverpool, both in the market for a left-sided attacker who can interchange across the front line, that sort of flexibility is gold dust.
Everton know exactly what they have. That is why they are fighting so hard to keep him.
United weigh their options
Whether the £69m price tag forces United to look elsewhere is the next question. Ndiaye is not the only winger under consideration at Old Trafford, and Carrick’s plans do not hinge on one name.
But as United push to close the gap at the top and re-establish a coherent attacking identity, the profile of player they are chasing is becoming clearer. Young enough to grow, experienced enough to deliver now, comfortable in multiple roles.
Ndiaye fits that mould. Everton’s valuation is designed to make sure that, if he does leave, it will be on their terms, not anyone else’s.
For United, the decision is simple to state and far harder to make: walk away, or pay the kind of fee that says this is a cornerstone signing, not just another option in a crowded market.
