Potential Iliman Ndiaye replacements as Everton exit talk continues | OneFootball

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Nobody wants their team to sell their best players. However, sometimes, an offer may come in that just proves too good to turn down, especially if the player in question has had their head turned.

Iliman Ndiaye has been the subject of much transfer speculation over recent weeks. It is well known now that the tricky winger is open to a move away from Everton, and has so far rebuffed several contract offers, with his representatives demanding the inclusion of a low-ball release clause.

Ndiaye returned to training following his post-World Cup break on Monday, linking up with Everton’s squad at their training camp in Germany. It was all smiles, and just because a player would be open to a transfer, doesn’t mean they are necessarily deeply unhappy, either.

No offer has yet been received for Ndiaye, and until that changes, he remains an Everton player. But, if one of the interested parties does come to the table, then it has been reported Everton would be willing to listen to offers around the £70M mark.

Everton hold the cards, with Ndiaye having 3 years left to run on his deal, but even though the 26-year-old is the team’s best attacker, such a fee may be too good to turn down. So, if that were to be the case, who are some realistic options Everton could then go and target to replace him?

YANKUBA MINTEH

Jack Grealish is still a priority target for Everton, and with Tyrique George already in place, then that would really fill Everton up for left wingers (should Grealish sign).

However, they are still short on the right, and Brighton’s Minteh would be my top choice.

Minteh could have been an Everton player back in 2024, but Newcastle United could not strike a deal with Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Had the striker agreed terms with the Magpies, then Minteh would have come the other way in a PSR trade.

Instead, the winger ended up at Brighton, and he has been a hit on the south coast.

In 36 appearances last season, Minteh scored 3 goals and provided 4 assists. However, at 22, there’s still plenty of room for development. He is rapid, plays naturally on the right side, and is creative, too.

It would cost a fair bit, but if Everton had £70M to play with, then I’d be happy with a fair chunk of it going on Minteh.

DAN NDOYE

Ndiaye… Ndoye. Close enough!

In this writer’s opinion, Everton should have targeted Ndoye last year. Instead, it was Nottingham Forest who spent £34M to bring him to England from Bologna.

In all fairness, Ndoye did not have a brilliant first season at Forest; he scored just twice and only provided 1 assist in 37 games.

However, like Ndiaye, Ndoye can play on both flanks; he’s a powerful runner with and without the ball, and he did actually create chances worth 3.0 expected assists, so he was more creative than the headline figure would suggest.

Could Forest be swayed into selling him if they were to get their money back?

BARIS ALPER YILMAZ

One player linked tentatively (given it’s Turkish media reporting it, you can’t be too sure) in recent days has been Yilmaz.

The Turkish international, who turned 26 in May, is at Galatasaray, and he certainly put up impressive numbers in all competitions last season, providing 14 assists and scoring 12 goals in 49 appearances.

The worry would be, why is he still playing in Türkiye at 26 — should he not have already made a move by now if he was as good as a reported £35M valuation suggests?

He does possess plenty of pace but he also seems more suited to playing on the left than the right. An interesting link, but maybe not a realistic one.

KEITO NAKAMURA

Nakamura impressed for Japan at the World Cup, and was linked with Everton during the tournament.

He nominally plays down the left, and can operate as a wing-back, too.

However, he plays second-tier in football in France with Reims, so while 14 goals and 2 assists for his club last season is nothing to be sniffed at, he is unlikely to provide the same amount of quality as Ndiaye. File under an option, at the right price, but at 26, Everton should probably be looking elsewhere.

JAMIE GITTENS

There’s always plenty going on when it comes to transfers in and out of Chelsea, but one player who seems to have snuck under the radar is Jamie Gittens.

Signed from Borussia Dortmund last season, Gittens was unable to make his mark consistently on the first team, and he then sustained a hamstring injury in January.

The winger is now working his way back to fitness, but could a loan move be an option?

Gittens has pace to burn and an eye for goal. He can dribble and take players on, and while he would not be a carbon copy of Ndiaye, not many players can replicate what the Senegal international does at his best.

Gittens would fit the bill as a younger player, and he has that top-level experience that David Moyes values so highly.

FRANCISCO CONCEIÇÃO

Everton wanted to sign Conceição last summer, but the Portugal international had his eyes set on Juventus.

However, Italian clubs are generally open for business and, if they had big money to spend, would Everton try to persuade Conceição once more?

He featured in 45 games for Juve last season, recording 11 goal involvements (6 goals, 5 assists).

Conceição is a tricky customer; by no means rapid, but definitely not slow, and he can play on both flanks, albeit he is mostly used out on the right.

He created 56 chances for Juve in 2025-26 (in comparison, Ndiaye created 30 chances for Everton), while attempting 164 dribbles and completing 79 of them.

It would be a bit of a coup, but it’s certainly not an impossible deal.

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Tommy, hate to disappoint you fella but he has signed a contract at West Ham. There is nonchance he comes here as West Ham would want to much money.

Minteh would cost too much and add too little.

Ndoye the same.

Nakamura proper punt would need to be taken but probably better than the first two.

Kittens, Chelsea will try to demand a profit on someone who has done nothing as seems to be their model. Maybe a loan could be an option as you say.

Best of the bunch probably you kept last, definitely the one to get if we can but a big ask to get someone from Juve to swap that life for this one.

Ajay Gopal 4 Posted 04/08/2026 at 16:43:37

“Gittens …….., and he then sustained a hamstring injury in January.” What are we waiting for? Sign him up!

Pete Ambrose 5 Posted 04/08/2026 at 17:10:48

It’s irrelevant all this speculation as TFG are so slow to act that anyone worth having will be snapped up before TFG put a bid in. Anyone Roma want they will get before EFC. Roma will be competing in champions league and you can bet TFG will be backing them to the hilt. EFC will end up having to make do with whatever is left in last minute signings if fortunate. I won’t be holding my breath.