Everton hold firm stance on star’s future amid Liverpool interest | OneFootball

Liverpool Ndiaye Links Met by Everton Defiance

Speculation over Liverpool’s reported interest in Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye has been swiftly dampened, following firm lines drawn by the Toffees that their standout performer will not be moving anywhere in January, according to TeamTalk.

Ndiaye, 25, has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most effective attacking outlets this season, with four goals and an assist, alongside a steady stream of chance creation that has lifted Everton’s attacking output. Unsurprisingly, such form does not go unnoticed. Reports have claimed that Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City have ‘made inquiries’ regarding his availability, building on long standing interest from European heavyweights. As noted previously by TEAMtalk’s Fraser Fletcher, Spurs, Newcastle, Juventus, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid all admire the Senegal international.

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Yet sources close to the situation have poured cold water on notions of imminent movement. TeamTalk report that “no club has made contact over a move for Ndiaye since Inter in the summer,” despite the growing transfer chatter. The message from Hill Dickinson Stadium, is unambiguous, January discussions are not part of the plan.

Everton Contract Shield

Everton’s resolve is underpinned by a contract running until 2029. That length of deal places the club in a powerful negotiating position, particularly during a winter window traditionally weighted towards desperation buying rather than calculated sales. TeamTalk sources insist the club “have no intention of listening to any offers for Ndiaye in January,” adding that any future interest would require bids to be “huge” even next summer.

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Compounding matters for Liverpool is the sensitivity between the clubs. The Merseyside rivalry ensures “Liverpool are the last club Everton would sell to,” according to the same sources, effectively closing the door on any scenario that might place Ndiaye in red.

Moyes Public Stance

David Moyes has echoed that internal conviction publicly. “I don’t really see the speculation because I’m not looking probably,” the Everton manager explained at a recent press conference. “I think he’s got a three-and-a-half-year deal here, maybe more, so it’s something we’re fully aware of, and he’s playing really well. It would be wrong for teams not to talk about him because of his form. Here at Everton, we’re building a team and we want to build with players like Ili, so we’ve no intention of letting him go, that’s for sure.”

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Privately, no firm price has been attached to the winger, underlining Everton’s reluctance to engage at all. However, figures “north of £70m” have been suggested as the theoretical minimum that might prompt reluctant conversations during a future window.

Reds Alternatives Emerging

For Liverpool, the trail appears to lead elsewhere. Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo is viewed as a more realistic winter target, thanks to a firmly set £65m release clause that removes the need for prolonged negotiations.

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While the Ndiaye links offer a tantalising transfer narrative, the reality is far less dramatic. Everton hold the contractual cards, possess the political will to keep their star, and have a manager publicly committed to developing around him. That alignment is rarely broken by transfer rumours alone.

Our View, EPL Index Analysis

Ndiaye has come to symbolise Everton’s fragile revival, a player who brings energy, threat and belief to a team long starved of confidence. Losing him in January would not only weaken the squad, it would undermine the sense that the club is finally prioritising building instead of selling.

Moyes’ words resonate loudly with the fanbase. “We want to build with players like Ili” captures what supporters have been desperate to hear for years. There is an understanding that top performers attract attention, that is the price of Premier League relevance, but the expectation has shifted, Everton should now stand their ground.

The suggestion that Liverpool are interested naturally provokes emotional reaction. Selling to a rival would feel like surrender. Fans recognise that eventual sales happen, especially for the right price, but January to Liverpool would represent a line too far.

Most supporters see the focus correctly placed on stability. Ndiaye looks settled, has strong relationships in the squad, particularly with Idrissa Gana Gueye, and seems invested in the club’s trajectory. For the sake of momentum and belief, Everton fans are firmly aligned with the stance taken. Keep Ndiaye, protect the project, and show the league that Everton are no longer a shop window club.