Manchester City Dramatically Sign Ndiaye from Spurs
Manchester City stepped into the final hours of the transfer window and tore up Tottenham’s script.
With Spurs closing in on Iliman Ndiaye after turning to the Everton forward as an alternative to Cody Gakpo, City moved late, moved hard and got their man. A £65 million agreement with Everton – £60m up front plus £5m in add-ons, according to The Athletic – was enough to flip the deal and drag the Senegal international to the Etihad.
City had tracked Gakpo as well, but when Liverpool held firm and Tottenham tried to pounce on Ndiaye, the champions accelerated. One decisive push, and the forward who looked bound for north London was suddenly holding a sky-blue shirt instead.
For Ndiaye, 26, the choice barely felt like a dilemma.
“It’s easy to make the decision about whether you want to be at Manchester City or not,” he said after sealing the move. “You can see the recent history; you want to be part of that project.”
Those talks with City’s hierarchy closed the door on everyone else.
“They talked to me about where we could go, what we could achieve with me in the team, and I was interested from the beginning,” he explained. “There was nothing else that I wanted other than joining Manchester City.”
The language was clear. No hedging, no half-measures. This was the move he had worked for.
“Obviously, you want to be part of this new project. I’ve seen recently what they’ve been doing, and I feel like I will fit right in it,” he said. “I’m super excited to start. It’s an unbelievable moment. I’ve worked so hard to get to this point and I’m super excited and really grateful for this opportunity.”
For City, Ndiaye was only half of an astonishing late surge.
Enzo Fernandez also walked through the door, completing a £125m switch from Chelsea that matches the British transfer record. The Argentine midfielder now reunites with manager Enzo Maresca, adding another heavyweight piece to a squad already stacked with title-winning pedigree.
Major Deals
Two major deals. One window-defining statement.
Tottenham, by contrast, were left scrambling. First Gakpo slipped away. Then Ndiaye was ripped from their grasp at the last moment. With the clock ticking, they had to improvise.
The answer came from Stamford Bridge. Spurs went back to Chelsea and pushed through a loan for Mykhailo Mudryk before the deadline, reuniting the winger with Roberto De Zerbi, under whom he shone at Shakhtar Donetsk.
City leave the window with fresh firepower and a record-equalling signing. Spurs leave it having rebuilt their plan on the fly.
Soon enough, the table will show who really won deadline day.
