Report: Liverpool eyeing Everton star in shock transfer raid | OneFootball

Liverpool Eye Iliman Ndiaye as Post-Salah Plans Gather Pace

Liverpool’s search for life after Mohamed Salah has taken a fascinating turn, with TeamTalk reporting that Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye has emerged as a genuine target. It is a story that feels both improbable and entirely logical, a reflection of modern recruitment realities colliding with one of football’s oldest rivalries.

TeamTalk state that Liverpool are “prepared to launch a ground-breaking move on their city rivals” as they intensify their search for a successor to Salah, whose departure “brings the curtain down on nine hugely successful years on Merseyside.” The sense of inevitability around succession planning is clear, with sources indicating that preparations have been in place “from virtually the very moment he signed his record-breaking new deal at the club in April 2025.”

Ndiaye Emerges as Serious Option

Ndiaye’s inclusion among Liverpool’s targets speaks to a broader shift in strategy. Having explored high-profile options such as Michael Olise and Paris Saint-Germain pair Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola, only to be met with firm “not for sale” responses, Liverpool have pivoted towards attainable, Premier League-proven talent.

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According to TeamTalk, “Ndiaye is a name garnering serious attention among Liverpool’s decision makers,” with interest dating back to the early part of the season. His profile fits neatly into the evolving template, versatile, direct, and capable of operating across the frontline.

There is also a quiet pragmatism in this approach. Ndiaye, 26, is no raw project. He arrives with experience, resilience, and a growing statistical output, six goals and three assists in Everton’s current campaign. In a market inflated by potential, Liverpool appear to be valuing readiness.

Transfer Landscape Shapes Liverpool Strategy

Liverpool’s shortlist reflects both ambition and constraint. RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande is described as “very much towards the top” of their thinking, while Juventus winger Francisco Conceicao is also under consideration.

Yet it is the rejection from Europe’s elite that has sharpened focus. As TeamTalk note, enquiries for elite targets have forced Liverpool “to look at more attainable targets within the market.” That recalibration may ultimately define the success of their rebuild.

A move for Ndiaye would carry symbolic weight. Transfers between Liverpool and Everton are rare, almost culturally discouraged. Any deal would need to be, as the report suggests, “hugely significant.”

Rival Interest Adds Further Intrigue

Liverpool are not alone in their admiration. Manchester United are also monitoring Ndiaye, viewing him as a “versatile forward” option amid their own attacking reshuffle. Juventus retain interest too, although financial realities may limit their involvement.

Everton, crucially, hold the cards. Ndiaye is under contract until 2029, and the club are already considering improved terms. Liverpool’s interest, therefore, may be as much a test of resolve as it is of recruitment strategy.

One source-driven sentiment captures the moment succinctly, “His rise has not gone unnoticed, and Liverpool’s interest now places him among the most intriguing names under consideration at Anfield.”

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

From a Liverpool perspective, this feels like a moment of identity as much as recruitment. Replacing Salah is not about replicating numbers alone, it is about redefining how Liverpool attack.

Ndiaye offers something different. He is not a like-for-like right-sided goal machine, but a fluid forward who thrives in chaos, driving at defenders and linking play. That could suit a system that has, at times, felt overly structured and predictable.

There will be resistance among supporters to signing from Everton. Rivalry still matters, emotionally and culturally. Yet modern football increasingly rewards bold thinking. If the data and scouting align, sentiment cannot be allowed to dictate strategy.

There is also a wider concern. Liverpool’s pursuit of elite targets has been rebuffed, and while Ndiaye is a strong option, fans will question whether the club are settling rather than leading the market.

Ultimately, this decision will hinge on clarity of vision. If Ndiaye is part of a broader, coherent attacking rebuild, it makes sense. If he is viewed as a compromise, it risks exposing deeper issues in recruitment planning.

Liverpool’s next era demands conviction. Whether Ndiaye is central to that remains to be seen, but the conversation itself signals a club at a crossroads.