Idrissa Gana Gueye Leaves Everton After Seven Seasons
Everton have drawn a firm line under one of the most enduring stories of their modern era. Idrissa Gana Gueye, the relentless midfielder who came to embody the club’s grit and resilience, has left after his contract expired at the end of June.
No new deal. No drawn‑out saga. Just a clear decision that, after seven seasons across two spells, it is time for both player and club to move on.
At 36, Gueye will now pursue what Everton described as “a new challenge elsewhere” and is expected to join Saudi Pro League side Al Diriyah. For the Goodison Park crowd, it closes the chapter on a player who gave them 236 appearances of tireless work and sharp defensive instincts.
A midfield constant in turbulent times
Gueye first arrived from Aston Villa in August 2016 and quickly became a fixture in Everton’s engine room. Ball-winner, organiser, tone-setter — he did the unglamorous work and rarely complained.
His performances earned him a move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, where he spent three years before returning to Merseyside in August 2022. That second spell came at a time when Everton were fighting for stability on and off the pitch, and his presence in midfield became a steadying influence.
The club’s final season at Goodison Park before the move to a new stadium only heightened the sense of occasion around every appearance. Inside the dressing room, his voice carried weight.
Manager David Moyes underlined that impact in his farewell message.
“Everyone at Everton is hugely grateful for Gana’s dedication, professionalism, and influence on the pitch throughout his two spells at the club,” he said. “His leadership qualities in and around the dressing room proved crucial, particularly in our final season at Goodison. His commitment to the club over many years was exceptional.
“Everyone connected to Everton thanks Gana – he will always be welcome at the club – and we wish him and his family all the very best for the future.”
End of an era, start of another
For Everton, allowing a 36-year-old midfielder to leave at the end of his contract is a logical step in a rebuild. For supporters, it feels heavier than that. Gueye represented continuity in a period defined by upheaval.
For Gueye himself, the move towards Saudi Arabia points to a late-career shift: a new league, new surroundings, and likely a prominent role at Al Diriyah, rather than a phased role in a transitioning Everton squad.
The club moves on, reshaping its midfield without one of its most reliable figures of recent years. Gueye moves on too, carrying with him the respect of a fanbase that watched him run, tackle, and lead through some of Everton’s most testing seasons.
The next time he walks back through the doors at Goodison, it will be as a guest, not a player. How quickly Everton can replace what he brought in the middle of the pitch will say plenty about where this new era is really heading.
