Tottenham Hotspur Join Ndiaye Transfer Saga Amid Premier League Tug of War
Tottenham Hotspur have muscled into one of the window’s most intriguing transfer sagas, joining the chase for Everton’s Ndiaye and turning a simmering story into a full-blown Premier League tug of war.
Roberto De Zerbi’s overhaul in north London has already crashed through the £300 million barrier. Spurs have ripped up and rewritten their attacking options, with Omar Marmoush and Savio arriving to give the Italian the width and incision he craves. Yet De Zerbi is still not satisfied. One more wide forward. One more match-winner. That is the brief before the deadline closes.
For weeks, the noise around Tottenham centred on Cody Gakpo. Those links have cooled. The spotlight has swung instead to Ndiaye, the Senegal international who has lit up Goodison Park and turned himself into one of the league’s most watchable wide attackers, as reported by Foot Mercato.
And now it’s a three-way fight.
Manchester City and Arsenal have both been tracking the 26-year-old closely, studying his situation as the clock ticks down. City, reshaping their own forward line after departures from the squad, see him as a potential answer on the flank. Arsenal, always alert to a chance to add another cutting edge to Mikel Arteta’s front line, are watching too. Tottenham’s move doesn’t just complicate the picture; it changes the temperature of the whole deal.
De Zerbi did little to cool the speculation when he spoke on Friday. Asked about his club’s plans, he laid out the scale of Spurs’ ambition and hinted there is still room for one more big swing.
"I didn’t expect a transfer window like we have done. I think we can do one player more in one specific position," he said. "Yesterday we went to dinner with the owners, Johan [Lange, sporting director] and Vinai [Venkatesham, chief executive] and we spoke about this. All of us are on the same page and a very good connection."
Those are not the words of a manager ready to close the chequebook. They are the words of a coach who knows the squad is close, but not complete.
Ndiaye, meanwhile, has spent the summer at the heart of relentless speculation. At one stage, his future looked set to lie far from Merseyside. A move to the Saudi Pro League, specifically Al-Hilal, was believed to be on the brink of completion before the player pulled away from the deal in dramatic fashion.
That decision changed everything. By choosing to stay in the Premier League, Ndiaye effectively invited the division’s elite to test Everton’s resolve. The interest came quickly. The admiration has only grown.
Everton, though, hold the strongest hand at the table.
The club have placed a huge £80 million valuation on their star winger, a price designed to scare off opportunists and leave only the most committed bidders standing. With Ndiaye tied down until 2029, there is no looming contract cliff edge, no obvious pressure point for rivals to exploit. Even the player’s recent rejection of a new deal has not shifted that stance in public.
Inside Finch Farm, the message is clear: pay up, or move on.
David Moyes underlined that position on Friday. Asked directly about the mounting interest in Ndiaye, the Everton manager was blunt.
"We’re certainly not in a hurry to sell our best players, that’s for sure," he said. "As far as I know, we’ve got nothing to be concerned about, we’ve had no contact from any club. Somebody told me we had contact with Al-Hilal during the summer, we had nothing from them."
No discount. No early surrender. Not even an acknowledgement of firm talks.
So the scene is set. Tottenham, armed with a manager demanding one last attacking weapon. Manchester City, searching for fresh firepower out wide. Arsenal, lurking, calculating whether to make their move. And Everton, sitting on a prized asset with years left on his deal and a price tag that dares the big spenders to blink first.
Does anyone go all the way to £80 million for Ndiaye before the window slams shut, or do Everton’s terms force even the richest clubs to walk away?
