Everton could sign another version of Iliman Ndiaye for £35m

Everton have not recruited as fluidly as they might have liked this summer, but there are bright sparks to take from the transfer window, with Tyrique George taking centre-stage in that regard.

After a second-half-of-season loan at the Hill Dickinson last season, George, 20, has finalised an initial £18m move to the club, getting stuck in and catching the eye throughout pre-season.

At Murrayfield last week, Everton dispatched Newcastle United 3-0. It was a convincing pre-season victory which has illustrated the Toffees’ unity and understanding. David Moyes is never satisfied, but he will be eager to kick things off and pursue an ambitious European finish.

The likes of George will feed into such goals, but he can’t do it alone. It’s clear, obvious, that Everton need to keep onto Iliman Ndiaye.

Why Everton cannot afford to sell Ndiaye

Everton finished 13th in the Premier League last season, but a seven-game winless run to close out the term scuppered hopes of venturing into Europe.

They need support to bridge that gap this year, but they also need Ndiaye to wreak havoc in the final third. The 26-year-old attacker has been a menace over the past two terms on Merseyside, hailed as “one of the best players to watch in the Premier League” by sports writer James Nalton.

Ndiaye only scored six times in the Premier League last season, but he added something to Moyes’ system throughout the term. The Senegal international is a maverick, and he won six duels and completed 2.3 dribbles on average each game, first-class numbers.

The fleet-footed forward has been coveted by Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia this summer, but he has rejected a £70m move in favour of continuing his career in English football. Arsenal and Manchester United remain interested, but the Toffees are equally determined to fight off advances, if not more so.

Let’s move forward on the premise that Ndiaye stays at Everton for the forthcoming campaign. Even so, the Blues probably need more in attack, someone to jockey with Thierno Barry at No. 9.

Everton have already tabled offer for Premier League striker

Barry joined Everton from Villarreal last summer in a deal worth £27m. The aspiring France forward has been something of a mixed bag since touching down in Liverpool, but his immense potential cannot be questioned.

Still, he remains a work in progress, which is perhaps why a reputable Tottenham Hotspur insider has confirmed that Everton have seen a bid rejected for Richarlison, who is keen on exploring a move back to Everton after four years in the capital.

It’s understood that Spurs are seeking £35m for the Brazil international, who has one year remaining on his contract. That’s perhaps a touch steep, but some commonality should be found here, with each party open to advancing discussions.

Everton sold Richarlison to Tottenham for £60m in 2022, and though he has had his moments for the Lilywhites, the 29-year-old has never managed to replicate the frightening consistency that saw him emerge as a talisman for Everton.

That aura he had about him in the Premier League has since been adopted by Ndiaye, and though the two could operate together in attack next year, Richarlison could return to his old stomping ground as Moyes’ next Ndiaye-esque forward.

Even against the backdrop of repeated fitness issues last season, Richarlison impressed for a sinking Spurs side. He scored 11 Premier League goals across 32 matches, of which only 20 were starts. He created five big chances and won 4.3 duels per game, showcasing a degree of fire that Ndiaye carries with him too.

Richarlison’s fitness problems have deepened over the past few years, but he has the talent and the love for Everton to make a real difference over the coming year, perhaps serving as a mentor of sorts for Barry besides.

His skill and flair echoes that of Ndiaye. Two different types of forward, the South American shares with Ndiaye an ability to change games with a flash of skill, one moment of magic.

His clutch nature could bear dividends for Everton this season, adding the kind of dimension in attack that scuppered them in their hopes of maintaining form at the business end last season, of earning a ticket onto the European train.

The final few weeks of the transfer window will determine Everton’s readiness for the season ahead. Retaining Ndiaye will indeed be crucial, but so will making further signings.

Barry looks set to cement himself as Moyes’ star No. 9, but if they were to pull off a shrewd deal for Richarlison, it would only be a good thing for a more dynamic Everton frontline.