Why Iliman Ndiaye has said no to ‘huge’ Saudi offer with Everton exit still on

Iliman Ndiaye has spent much of the summer surrounded by transfer speculation, but Everton may finally have received the answer they wanted.

Interest in the Senegal international was inevitable after another influential campaign at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Ndiaye made 34 appearances across all competitions last season, scoring six goals and providing three assists. He also played a whopping 2,833 minutes and remained one of David Moyes‘ most trusted attackers whenever available.

His second Everton season also confirmed that the flair shown after his arrival from Marseille could be translated into consistent Premier League quality.

Ndiaye gives Everton something different through his close control, balance and willingness to take defenders on. He can start from either flank, drift behind a striker or carry the ball through crowded central areas.

That combination attracted attention well before Al Hilal entered the race.

Man United and Aston Villa were both reported to have made contact over a possible summer move. Arsenal also considered Ndiaye while assessing alternatives for their attack, although he was not described as their leading target.

Everton were never under pressure to sell cheaply.

The 26-year-old still has three years left on his deal after joining from Marseille in 2024. Reports suggested the Toffees wanted at least £70 million before discussing a sale, reflecting both his importance and the cost of finding a suitable replacement.

REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

Al-Hilal opened talks with Everton and offered Ndiaye a huge personal package. Negotiations over the transfer fee continued, with Everton reportedly demanding a deal that could eventually reach approximately £81 million once bonuses were included.

Moyes is reshaping his attack, with Dwight McNeil leaving for Crystal Palace and Brennan Johnson travelling in the opposite direction.

Losing Ndiaye as well would have removed Everton’s most inventive dribbler just before the new Premier League seaso, but that danger now appears to have passed.

Why Ndiaye is now set to stay at Everton for now after rejecting ‘huge’ Saudi offer

Sky Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri claims Ndiaye has rejected Al Hilal’s lucrative offer and decided to continue his career in England.

According to Tavolieri, the forward’s choice is motivated by football rather than money. Ndiaye believes remaining with Everton will give him the platform to keep developing in the Premier League.

However, the update also contains an important warning for the future.

Tavolieri says Ndiaye is still eyeing the prospect of securing a major transfer in one of the next few windows. His decision represents a commitment to Everton for now, rather than a promise to spend the remainder of his peak years on Merseyside.

For Everton, that is still excellent news.

They keep a popular and technically gifted attacker without surrendering to external pressure. Ndiaye can now concentrate on building a stronger campaign alongside Johnson and Everton’s other summer additions.

If he continues improving, the transfer questions will eventually return.

For this window, however, Ndiaye has chosen sporting ambition at Everton over immediate fortune in the Gulf.