Ndiaye: Arsenal and Manchester City Battle for Everton Star
Manchester City and Arsenal are locked in a high‑stakes battle for Ndiaye, with both Premier League heavyweights convinced he is the next piece to sharpen their forward lines, according to talkSPORT. The Everton attacker has surged into the conversation as one of the division’s most dangerous outlets, and his performances have put both the Etihad and the Emirates on alert.
Everton, though, are drawing a hard line. The club have slapped an £80 million price tag on the Senegal international, a figure that underlines just how central he is to David Moyes’ plans and how highly they rate his future. With Ndiaye tied down on Merseyside until 2029, the Toffees know they hold the leverage and are prepared to use it.
That stance has been tested by the player’s own ambition. Ndiaye has already turned down a new contract at Goodison Park this summer, refusing to commit his long-term future and signalling a clear willingness to seek a new challenge at the top end of European football. The moment that became clear, City and Arsenal moved from monitoring to manoeuvring.
This is not the first time Everton have braced themselves for life after Ndiaye. Earlier in the window, he came close to a lucrative switch to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, a move that would have seen him join the growing exodus of European stars heading to the Middle East. That deal fell away before completion, but the very fact Al Hilal pushed so hard only reinforced how far his reputation now stretches beyond England.
For Arsenal, the pursuit carries an extra layer of intrigue. Mikel Arteta is still searching for a top-tier forward to complete his attacking jigsaw, and the club’s ideal target remains Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez. The problem? The Argentine is understood to favour a move to Barcelona, a preference that has thrown Arsenal’s primary plan off course and forced them to scan the market for realistic alternatives.
That is where Ndiaye comes into sharp focus. His versatility is a major draw: he can operate anywhere across the front three or drop in as a creative No.10, offering Arteta the kind of tactical flexibility he craves. If the Alvarez chase collapses under the weight of the player’s Barcelona dream, Ndiaye stands out as a ready-made, high‑level option rather than a consolation prize.
City’s interest is cut from a different cloth. Enzo Maresca’s recruitment team have tracked Ndiaye closely since his return to England from Ligue 1 and see a forward built in the mould of a modern City attacker. Technically sharp, relentless off the ball, comfortable receiving in tight areas – he ticks the boxes that have defined City’s front-line evolution over recent years.
On the pitch, his rise at Everton has been swift. Signed from Marseille in 2024, Ndiaye adapted quickly to the Premier League’s intensity and physicality. Last season he delivered six goals and three assists in 32 league games – numbers that won’t turn the Golden Boot race on its head, but only tell part of the story. His work in Everton’s build-up, his willingness to drop deep, link play and carry the ball from defence to attack has made him indispensable to Moyes’ system.
That influence stretches beyond club football. Ndiaye has already made his mark with Senegal, featuring at the World Cup and contributing a goal and two assists as they reached the last 32. Those performances on the biggest stage have only strengthened the sense that he is ready for a move into the Champions League elite.
So Everton sit on a long contract and a sky-high valuation. City and Arsenal circle, each convinced he can elevate their attack. Ndiaye has made it clear he is open to the next step. Something has to give – but who blinks first in this tug-of-war?
