Manchester City and Arsenal Battle for Ndiaye: Everton's £80 Million Star

Manchester City and Arsenal are locked in a high‑stakes battle for Everton forward Ndiaye, with both Premier League heavyweights circling a player they believe can sharpen their attacks, according to talkSPORT.

The Senegal international has accelerated from promising talent to one of the division’s most dangerous attackers, drawing serious attention from the scouting teams at both the Etihad and the Emirates. Every performance now feels like another audition.

Everton dig their heels in

Everton, though, are refusing to be pushed around.

The club have slapped an £80 million price tag on Ndiaye, a valuation that underlines his importance to David Moyes’ system and the belief on Merseyside that his best years are still ahead. With the forward tied down until the summer of 2029, the Toffees know they are negotiating from a position of real strength.

They also know the clock is ticking in a different way. Ndiaye has already rejected a new contract offer this summer, declining the chance to commit his long‑term future to Goodison Park. That decision has been read as a clear signal: he is ready to test himself at the very top of European football.

The response from the elite was inevitable. City and Arsenal, always alert to any sign that a top‑level attacker might be prised away, have moved quickly to place him high on their lists.

A saga years in the making

This is not the first time Ndiaye has edged towards the exit.

Earlier in the summer, he came close to a lucrative move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, a deal that would have seen him follow a growing line of European names heading to the Middle East. The transfer never got over the line, but the scale of the Saudi interest underlined how far his reputation now stretches beyond the Premier League.

Everton kept their man. Now they may have to fight even harder to do so.

Arsenal’s plan B – or something more?

Arsenal’s pursuit adds a fascinating layer to the story.

Mikel Arteta has been hunting a top‑class forward to complete his attacking puzzle, and the club’s dream target remains Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez. The problem is simple and awkward: the Argentine is understood to favour a move to Barcelona, and that preference has complicated Arsenal’s plans.

With Alvarez pushing for what would be a difficult switch to Camp Nou, Arsenal have been forced to scan the market for alternatives. Ndiaye has emerged as one of the most attractive options.

His appeal is obvious. He can operate across the front three or drop into a creative No.10 role, offering Arteta flexibility and depth in several positions. For Arsenal, he is both a serious contingency if the Alvarez chase collapses and a player who could quickly grow into a headline act in his own right.

City’s cold, clinical interest

Manchester City’s angle is different, but just as serious.

Enzo Maresca and his recruitment team have tracked Ndiaye closely since his return to English football from Ligue 1. They see a profile that fits the City template: technically sharp, relentless out of possession, comfortable receiving the ball in tight spaces and knitting attacks together.

City do not often move for attackers who need time to adapt to the league. Ndiaye has already cleared that hurdle.

From Marseille to main man

Since joining Everton from Marseille in 2024, Ndiaye has handled the Premier League’s physical demands with impressive composure. His raw numbers from last season are solid rather than spectacular – six goals and three assists in 32 league games – but that only tells part of the story.

Moyes leans heavily on him in Everton’s build‑up, using his ability to drop deep, link play and carry the ball from defence into attack. Those contributions rarely make the highlight reels, yet they have made him indispensable at Goodison Park.

The international stage has only reinforced that image. Ndiaye featured for Senegal at the World Cup, scoring once and providing two assists as they reached the last 32. He did not look out of place. He looked ready.

Now the question is simple, and expensive: can Everton resist if City and Arsenal decide to turn admiration into a concrete bid, or is this the summer their most prized attacker finally steps onto the Champions League stage?