Everton head coach David Moyes has addressed the futures of Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish
David Moyes has stressed that Everton are not willing to part ways with Iliman Ndiaye and would require an offer that was completely unreasonable for the winger to leave Hill Dickinson Stadium during this transfer period.
With Ndiaye having rejected multiple improved contract proposals this year and then expressed his ambition to feature in Champions League competition right before the World Cup kicked off, speculation about where he might end up has dominated much of the summer. However, Everton maintain their position that the player who netted their final strike at Goodison Park and inaugural goal at Hill Dickinson is not available for transfer.
In late July, Ndiaye’s father Mouhamadou Abdoulaye Ndiaye declared that his son would not be leaving after disclosing that the player had contacted him. Subsequently, when Everton posted pictures of the player rejoining his teammates for training in Germany the week after his extended break following World Cup involvement with Senegal, his international colleague Idrissa Gueye, who brought the curtain down on his own seven-year stint across two separate spells with the club this summer, responded with a simple message confirming his commitment.
During the restricted portion of his press conference ahead of Everton’s season opener against Crystal Palace, Moyes was questioned about whether Ndiaye could still move before the window closes. The Merseyside club’s manager responded in the negative, stating that nothing short of an extraordinary proposal would change that stance.
Moyes acknowledged that while the common assertion holds that any player can be purchased, Ndiaye simply has no value to him in that regard. He maintained that throughout his tenure, there has never been any possibility of the player leaving, and he remains baffled by the various reports that have circulated. He added that he had no memory of anyone discussing any alternative arrangements that had apparently been mentioned.
Ndiaye linked up with Everton’s squad during their German training camp between matches in Hamburg and Stuttgart, and Moyes has commended the Senegalese international’s professionalism since his return.
Moyes noted that Ndiaye had been outstanding and that his presence had elevated the entire squad’s performance levels due to his quality. He described the player as having provided some spark, suggesting he possesses a unique ability to inspire both teammates and fans alike. He questioned why any manager, particularly himself at present, would contemplate selling such a player, concluding that such a scenario was unthinkable.
While Moyes remains resolute about Ndiaye’s situation, he confessed uncertainty regarding the prospect of bringing Jack Grealish back to Everton following his productive but injury-disrupted loan last season.
When pressed about his desire to re-sign the Birmingham-born attacking midfielder, the Scottish manager described it as a complicated situation with no clarity at this stage, admitting he could not provide a straightforward answer for the time being.