Man City agree £60m deal for Everton star as Enzo Maresca finds his replacement for Tottenham-bound duo
Man City strike major deal for Ndiaye
City have reached an agreement with Everton to sign Ndiaye. ESPN reports that the club will pay an initial £60 million for the 26-year-old attacker, with a further £5m structured in potential performance-related add-ons.
The Senegal international has already been granted permission by the Goodison Park hierarchy to travel and undergo a comprehensive medical examination. His transfer to the Etihad Stadium is fully expected to be finalised on Tuesday, providing a massive boost to Maresca's squad.
Maresca shifts focus after Gakpo bid rejected
City swiftly reignited their concrete interest in Ndiaye after experiencing frustration elsewhere in the summer transfer market. Liverpool recently rejected a surprise approach from Maresca's side for Dutch forward Cody Gakpo, forcing the recruitment team to explore alternative attacking targets.
Rather than lingering on that setback, the Etihad outfit moved decisively to secure their backup plan. In doing so, they have successfully beaten Premier League rivals Tottenham to Ndiaye's signature. Spurs were also closely monitoring the forward before the Cityzens aggressively accelerated their pursuit and agreed upon a fee.
Bolstering the depleted Etihad attacking ranks
Ndiaye’s impending arrival will provide a much-needed injection of quality to Maresca's forward line following a difficult window of unexpected departures. City recently lost key attacking duo Savinho and Omar Marmoush, with both players sealing permanent moves to Tottenham.
Consequently, the Everton winger will not be the only fresh face arriving in the City dressing room this week to plug those gaps. The club officially announced the signing of promising Brazilian winger Allan Elias on Monday, successfully securing the Palmeiras prospect in a separate £32m deal.
Ending a three-year spell at Merseyside
Ndiaye prepares to leave the Toffees after spending two productive years on Merseyside, where he established himself as a fan favourite. The versatile attacker registered 17 goals across 74 competitive appearances for Everton during his eventful stint at the club.
Despite the swirling transfer speculation, he had remained a key figure for Everton in the opening weeks of the current campaign. The winger started both of their opening two Premier League fixtures, helping them secure a victory over Crystal Palace and a hard-fought draw against Bournemouth. Now, he prepares to link up with Maresca's squad ahead of their upcoming domestic challenges.
