Everton Star Opens The Door To A Return To His Former Club: What Should Moyes Do This Summer? | OneFootball

Iliman Ndiaye has been speaking. Frankly, as it happens. In a recent chat with France Football, later picked up by Foot Mercato, the Everton attacker looked back at his stint in Ligue 1, refusing to hide from the difficult questions about why things fell apart. He still holds a vivid memory of the day he put pen to paper with Marseille. The player in him wanted that next step, sure, but it was the kid inside who was truly dreaming. He recalled a welcome from the fans that left him completely lost for words.

Iliman Ndiaye drops Marseille return hint as Everton contract standoff deepens

The on-pitch reality failed to match that initial spark. A return of four goals and five assists across 46 matches tells a pretty bleak story. He lasted just twelve months. Looking back, Ndiaye admits the switch happened too early in his development. Missing out on a traditional academy upbringing, combined with having just a solitary season of Championship football under his belt, left massive holes in his game. Gaps that a club demanding instant success simply had no time for.

Significantly, he made it clear that nobody at Marseille put up a fight to keep him once Everton showed interest. At least it was transparent, he noted. He reckons a couple more years in the Premier League first would have rewritten his entire OM script.

“On the day I signed, there was the player in me who wanted to take the next step. But also the child who was dreaming,” he said.

“And then, the welcome from the fans. I’m lost for words; it was so crazy. I hadn’t made a name for myself yet. I thought that if there were three people there to greet me, it would already be the end of the world…”

“At a club like that, you have to perform very quickly. I struggled; I won’t deny it. But, contrary to what was being said, I didn’t put too much pressure on myself. The reality is that I didn’t really go through a youth academy, and I’d only had one professional season in the English second tier.

“So, there were still gaps in my game for a top French club that has to be among the best. I lacked a bit of experience at the highest level. I would have liked a second season at Marseille to show my progress,” he insisted.

“When we discussed Everton’s interest with the club’s management, nobody wanted to keep me. At least it was clear… It’s certain that if I’d arrived two years later, with two Premier League seasons under my belt, I’m sure the story would have turned out very differently at OM.” (Via Sport Witness)

The Goodison dilemma and the World Cup wildcard

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – MARCH 21: Iliman Ndiaye of Everton looks on during the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Now the ball is firmly in Everton’s court. David Moyes has a massive problem on his hands. Ndiaye has knocked back multiple contract offers; his camp is demanding a release clause way below what the club value him at, and elite vultures like Manchester United, Manchester City, and Arsenal are already hovering. All this right before he jets off to the World Cup with Senegal.

Selling him now is madness. Doing it during a contract dispute with zero replacement lined up would be completely reckless. Everton have to dig their heels in. Do not budge on that valuation. Reject the lowball release clause entirely. It is time to let the World Cup do the heavy lifting for his market value. If he tears it up on the global stage, his price tag skyrockets. That puts the Toffees in a position of absolute strength, not weakness.

Moyes must construct this entire frontline around him. Give him the keys to the attack and guaranteed minutes from day one. Show some genuine ambition by bringing in quality players rather than just offering empty promises. Drag the negotiations into late August if that is what it takes. Panic helps nobody at Goodison Park right now. Patience does.