Iliman Ndiaye is set to undergo a medical with Everton ahead of his £15million (€17.7m, $19m) transfer from Marseille.
The Athletic reported earlier this week that Everton were closing in on the signing of Ndiaye.
The 24-year-old scored four goals in 29 starts and 15 substitute appearances for Marseille last season, having joined the Ligue 1 side from Sheffield United in August 2023.
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Ndiaye was sold to Marseille following an impressive season in the Championship, where he scored 14 league goals as he helped Sheffield United win promotion to the Premier League. He joined Sheffield United from non-League Boreham Wood in 2019 and scored 22 goals in 88 appearances for the South Yorkshire club.
Born in France, Ndiaye represents Senegal at international level and has been capped 20 times by the African side since making his debut in 2022.
Everton have been active in the early part of the transfer window, with Sean Dyche’s side re-signing winger Jack Harrison on loan from Leeds United and bringing in Aston Villa midfielder Tim Iroegbunam. Everton’s Lewis Dobbin, meanwhile, has gone to Villa Park in a separate deal.
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Ndiaye to give Everton attack more creativity
The second-lowest scorers in the Premier League this season, Everton have been keen to strength their forward options.
They have held an interest in Ndiaye since his Sheffield United days and see him as someone who can add dynamism and versatility to the attack.
The Senegal international can play across the frontline but is best off a main striker and will offer Sean Dyche a more creative alternative to Abdoulaye Doucoure in the No 10 role.
Ndiaye’s move to his boyhood club Marseille has not worked out, but Everton will hope to get him back to the player he was at Sheffield United, where he struck 14 goals and registered 11 assists to help the Yorkshire club earn promotion from the Championship in the 2022-23 season.
Hard working, a strong dribbler and with a keen eye for goal, his prospective signing strengthens Dyche’s squad ahead of the new season.
(Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images)