Everton have shown interest in Iliman Ndiaye, a former Sheffield United player, and what he could potentially contribute to Sean Dyche’s team has been a topic of discussion.
According to Goodison News, citing Massilia Zone, Ndiaye has already expressed his willingness to join Everton. The club is now working to negotiate terms with his current team, Olympique Marseille, aiming to finalize the deal swiftly.
Ndiaye, a 24-year-old born in Rouen, Normandy, has earned 22 caps for Senegal, scoring twice at the international level. He is versatile, capable of playing both as an attacking midfielder and a striker. Last season, he scored four goals in 46 appearances for Marseille, three of which were in Ligue 1. The previous season, he netted 14 goals in the Championship, playing a key role in Sheffield United’s promotion to the Premier League. Although he was linked to a move to Everton a year ago, he opted to return to France.
Using Comparisonator’s Similarity Comparison tool, it has been found that Ndiaye’s playing style closely matches that of Matheus Cunha of Wolverhampton Wanderers, with a 99% similarity. Other comparisons include Burnley’s Zeki Amdouni (93%) and Wolves’ Jean-Richer Bellegarde (82%). Interestingly, former Everton targets Mohamed Kudus of West Ham United and Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest also appear on this list, albeit with lower similarity scores of 64% and 41%, respectively.
The Comparisonator’s Virtual Transfer tool provides further insight by comparing Ndiaye’s statistics from last season to those of Premier League players in similar positions. Ndiaye excels in dribbling, averaging 5.11 dribbles per 90 minutes, which is higher than any player in the Premier League. He surpasses even Matheus Cunha (5.08), Joao Pedro of Brighton (5.04), and Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon (4.62).
Ndiaye’s dribbles are not just frequent but effective. His average of 2.66 successful dribbles per 90 minutes would place him third in the Premier League, behind Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus (2.8) and Joao Pedro (2.71). Sean Dyche, known for his emphasis on hard work across the pitch, might appreciate Ndiaye’s defensive contribution as well, with Ndiaye averaging 1.97 ball recoveries in his own half per 90 minutes. This surpasses players like Gabriel Jesus (1.89), Joao Pedro (1.83), and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen (1.63).
Ndiaye’s passing is another strong aspect of his game. He averages 20.75 successful passes per 90 minutes, which would place him seventh in the Premier League, with Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez leading this category at 27.79. In terms of successful passes in the final third, Ndiaye’s average of 1.67 is bettered only by Cunha (2.06) and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (1.82).
In terms of winning duels, Ndiaye is competitive. He averages 9.34 duels won per 90 minutes, which would rank him eighth in the Premier League. His 5.41 ground duels won per 90 minutes is the highest in the league, even surpassing Gabriel Jesus (5.03). These statistics indicate that Ndiaye could provide valuable support to Abdoulaye Doucoure in linking Everton’s midfield and attack.
Financial considerations are crucial for Everton, and while Ndiaye lacks Premier League experience, he has shown promise in his previous stints, including a loan spell at Hyde United. This is similar to goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek, who, despite a similar background, has represented the Czech Republic at the European Championships.
Overall, Ndiaye’s versatility, dribbling skills, passing accuracy, and defensive contributions make him a promising addition to Everton. His similarities to players like Matheus Cunha and his impressive statistics suggest he could adapt well to the Premier League and provide the dynamism and work rate Sean Dyche values in his squad. However, Everton will need to meet Marseille’s demands to secure his transfer, ensuring the deal aligns with their financial constraints.
