Tottenham Joins Race for Everton Star Ndiaye in Transfer Battle

Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race for Everton star Ndiaye, muscling into what is fast becoming one of the window’s most intriguing transfer battles.

Spurs, already past the £300 million mark in spending as Roberto De Zerbi tears up and rebuilds his squad, are not done yet. Omar Marmoush is in. Savio has arrived from Manchester City. Still De Zerbi wants one more wide forward – and the spotlight has swung firmly onto the Senegal international lighting up Goodison Park.

For a long spell, Cody Gakpo looked like the chosen man. That noise has faded. Now, as reported by Foot Mercato, Ndiaye has moved to the top of the list in north London, turning a quiet admiration across the league into a full-blooded tug-of-war.

Spurs move into a three-way fight

Tottenham’s interest drops them straight into a three-way contest with Manchester City and Arsenal, both of whom have been tracking the 26-year-old’s situation for weeks. City see him as a live option to replace outgoing attackers. Arsenal have kept a close eye, wary of missing out on a prime-age, Premier League-proven winger.

De Zerbi did little to cool the speculation when he spoke on Friday about his club’s plans.

"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."

One more player. One specific position. The message was clear: Tottenham are still hunting, even after a record outlay.

From Saudi brink to Premier League storm

Ndiaye’s summer has already swung wildly. Earlier in the window, he looked bound for the Saudi Pro League, with a move to Al-Hilal said to be almost done before he pulled away at the last moment. That U-turn changed everything.

His decision to stay in England opened the door for the Premier League’s elite. Interest hardened. Calls were made. Scouts revisited old reports. A player who once seemed destined for a quiet exit to Saudi Arabia is now central to the plans of three of the division’s most powerful clubs.

Everton dig in over £80m price

The Toffees have planted their flag firmly in the ground with an £80 million valuation, a figure designed to make only the boldest bidders step forward. Ndiaye is tied down until 2029, which gives Everton time, leverage and a degree of calm, even after he turned down a new deal.

They know what they have: a prized asset in his prime, under a long contract, in a market where top-tier wide forwards are scarce and expensive.

David Moyes underlined that stance on Friday when asked about the growing noise around his star attacker.

"We’re certainly not in a hurry to sell our best players, that’s for sure," the Everton manager 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 bids. No formal talks. Just a lot of attention and an £80m price tag acting as a warning sign.

For now, Ndiaye remains at the heart of Everton’s plans and the centre of a brewing transfer storm. The question is simple: who blinks first – the clubs chasing him, or the one refusing to let him go on the cheap?