Manchester City are making headway in negotiations with Everton to sign winger Iliman Ndiaye, positioning him as a potential alternative to Cody Gakpo as the transfer window enters its final stretch.
The momentum behind the deal has been building steadily. Tottenham had previously negotiated a £60m fee with Everton for Ndiaye, and with existing dialogue already established between City and Everton regarding Jack Grealish, the discussions between the two clubs are progressing at pace.
However, complications have emerged from an unexpected quarter. Richarlison's hesitation in committing to a move to Everton has created a bottleneck, stalling the advanced negotiations surrounding Ndiaye that had been underway since the previous day.
According to BBC Sport, Tottenham are now in advanced talks to sign Ndiaye from Everton, with a deal largely agreed between the clubs but still not fully settled. Everton have shown willingness to part with the winger after he rejected multiple contract offers and held talks with Al-Hilal earlier in the summer.
With Ndiaye's availability uncertain due to the Richarlison situation, Tottenham have begun exploring alternative options. The north London club have initiated talks with Chelsea regarding a potential loan move for Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk.
Liverpool's stance on their own transfer business has complicated matters further. Earlier on Monday, the Reds rejected Manchester City's £80m bid for Cody Gakpo. However, according to BBC Sport, Manchester City's interest in Gakpo has now progressed to formal contact with Liverpool, and City have become Gakpo's preferred destination should he depart Anfield before the deadline.
Sky Sports News understands that Liverpool remain concerned about their capacity to secure a suitable replacement for the Dutch international should he depart.
Manchester City's transfer ambitions extend beyond attacking reinforcement. The club are determined to add both a wide forward and a central midfielder before the window closes. Beyond Ndiaye, City opened discussions with Chelsea on Monday regarding midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
City's recent departures have left them stretched in attacking areas. The club allowed both Savio and Omar Marmoush to join Tottenham earlier this month, significantly reducing manager Enzo Maresca's options on the flank. The shortage became evident during Friday's victory over Crystal Palace, when City failed to name a winger on their bench and deployed Phil Foden—a player Maresca has acknowledged is not naturally a winger—in a wide position at Selhurst Park.
Since joining Everton from Marseille two seasons ago, Ndiaye has scored 17 goals in 74 appearances for the Merseyside club, establishing himself as a key attacking asset.
Liverpool have already moved to strengthen their own squad during this window. The Reds signed Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain on Monday, while defender Victor Munoz arrived from Osasuna earlier in the summer. Gakpo, who signed a new five-year contract with Liverpool in August 2025 that ties him to the club until 2030, remains at the centre of City's transfer strategy.
Tottenham had also targeted Gakpo during this transfer window before ultimately securing both Savio and Marmoush, redirecting their efforts as the deadline approaches.
The final countdown
With the transfer window set to close at 11pm UK time on Tuesday, all parties involved are racing against time to finalise agreements. City and Liverpool are continuing their dialogue over Gakpo's potential move, while Tottenham's pursuit of Ndiaye remains contingent on whether the Everton-to-Spurs structure can be completed before the deadline passes.
