Liverpool take first steps towards historic Everton raid with ‘initial talks’ held | OneFootball

Liverpool have ‘made inquiries’ into the signing of an Everton forward in what could become a historic transfer.

Direct deals between the Merseyside rivals are exceedingly rare. Indeed, the last player to transfer from one club to the other was Abel Xavier (Everton to Liverpool), all the way back in 2002.

But according to a fresh update from FootMercato, history could be made in the summer of 2026.

They claim Liverpool are among three clubs who have held ‘initial talks’ over the signing of Iliman Ndiaye. It was stressed those preliminary talks were held with Ndiaye’s agents and not Everton.

Ndiaye, 25, rose to prominence in England when starring for Sheffield United. The Senegal international earned a move to Marseille in the summer of 2023, but lasted just one season in Ligue 1 before returning to these shores.

Everton swooped to the tune of around €20m and that’s already proven money well spent. The versatile Ndiaye – who primarily plays on the right wing – has scored 15 times in 52 matches for The Toffees so far.

His electric displays have put the attacker on the radars of bigger clubs. Per FootMercato, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham are all circling and have made ‘inquiries’ into his availability.

The report concluded by insisting Ndiaye features prominently on those clubs’ shortlists and the story of his future is ‘to be continued.’

Liverpool in particular are well known to be on the hunt for new wingers, as evidenced by their confirmed interest in Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.

Everton stance on selling Ndiaye

Back in late-October, TEAMtalk were provided with an update on Everton’s stance on selling Ndiaye as the transfer vultures began to circle.

Everton insiders told us that the club are thrilled with Ndiaye’s adaption to Premier League football, with his previous spell in England with Sheffield United coming primarily in the Championship.

“He’s bringing exactly what we need – energy, vision, and resilience,” one source confided.

This satisfaction extends to Moyes’s tactical setup, where Ndiaye has thrived alongside players like Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Recent reports have floated a potential £30m price tag for Ndiaye, but TEAMtalk sources close to Everton have dismissed these figures as “laughable.”

Drawing financial parallels to defender Jarrad Branthwaite, whom Everton value at over £70 million, the club has set a premium on the Senegalese international that aligns with market trends for similar profiles.

Everton are adamant they won’t entertain offers below their internal assessment, which our sources peg at significantly higher than the rumoured £30 million.

In any case, Everton’s message is clear: any suitor must meet their valuation or look elsewhere, and they are planning to rebuff any advances in the January window.

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