Manchester City have completed the signing of winger Iliman Ndiaye from Everton in a deal worth up to £65m, the club announced on Tuesday. The 26-year-old Senegal international has agreed a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium, with the transfer fee set at £60m plus £5m in add-ons.

Ndiaye told the Manchester City club website: "I've worked my whole life for an opportunity like this. City are one of the best clubs in the world and I've seen them win everything as I've grown up. To be able to write my own chapter in a story that special is the chance of a lifetime and I'm determined to grab it with both hands."

The move concludes a swift turn of events that saw Tottenham Hotspur initially appear close to securing Ndiaye. According to BBC, Tottenham had agreed terms with Everton on Friday night, with Richarlison expected to move the other way in a separate transfer. However, sources indicated Richarlison failed to agree personal terms with his former club, preventing the Tottenham deal from proceeding.

City's director of football, Hugo Viana, praised the new signing: "Iliman is a very talented footballer. He's had to work incredibly hard to reach this level and in my first conversation with him it was immediately obvious how grounded he is and the determination he has to be the best player he can be. I've no doubt City fans will get a thrill seeing him in action for us."

Ndiaye joins a City squad undergoing significant changes under new manager Enzo Maresca, who took over after a decade under Pep Guardiola. The Senegal international becomes City's eighth summer arrival, according to BBC, with Elliot Anderson, Geronimo Rulli, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Allan Elias, Jeremy Monga and Pierce Charles also joining, and Enzo Fernandez expected to follow.

City have agreed a separate deal with Chelsea for midfielder Enzo Fernandez for a fee that could reach £125m, matching the British transfer record, as reported by multiple outlets. The Independent noted that Ndiaye's arrival took City's summer spending past £300m, while Hindustan Times reported the club could exceed £400m in total outlay, though they have recouped around £300m from player sales.

Ndiaye's path to City has been far from linear. He previously played for Sheffield United and Marseille before joining Everton in 2024. The Independent reported that Everton signed him from Marseille for £15m two years ago, while Sports Mole provided more detail on his time in France, noting he was signed by Marseille for close to £14.5m in 2023 and sold a year later for £16m, with add-ons potentially pushing the deal to £17m. Marseille retained 10% of any future sell-on profit, which will now yield around £3m, according to the same report.

His single season at Marseille was difficult, with four goals and five assists in 46 appearances, a period described by Sports Mole as a "chaotic 2023-24 campaign" disrupted by managerial and tactical changes. At Everton, Ndiaye's output improved considerably. Reports differ on his exact goal tally: BBC credited him with 21 goals in 74 appearances, while ESPN and Sports Mole reported 17 goals in the same number of appearances. Sports Mole also noted that Ndiaye scored 15 goals in 67 league matches, with nine in his first season and six in the following campaign. The Independent reported that Ndiaye scored Everton's last ever goal at Goodison Park.

Ndiaye said the decision to join City was straightforward. According to Sports Mole, he told the club website: "It's easy to make the decision about whether you want to be at Manchester City or not. There was nothing else that I wanted other than joining Manchester City." He added: "I love to play with the ball on the floor in an attacking team that wants to score as many goals as possible. That's why I know this is the perfect fit. City fans can rest assured that I will give my all to bring more success to this incredible club."

City's interest in Ndiaye emerged after a proposed move for Liverpool's Cody Gakpo failed to materialise. ESPN reported that City turned their attention to Ndiaye after their interest in Gakpo didn't result in a transfer, while Sports Mole stated that Liverpool rejected an offer of around £80m for the Dutch forward. Ndiaye also arrives as a replacement for Savinho and Omar Marmoush, who both joined Tottenham, and with concerns over Jeremy Doku's fitness, as noted by Sports Mole.

Ndiaye started both of Everton's Premier League games this season and their Carabao Cup win over Preston North End, according to ESPN. He previously had a brief loan spell at Hyde United in 2020, a club based in Greater Manchester, as reported by Sports Mole. Ndiaye has also been a key figure for Senegal, playing a major role in their 2025 AFCON triumph, notably scoring the qualifying goal against Mali in the quarter-final, according to Sports Mole.

City's manager, Enzo Maresca, sees Ndiaye as more than a simple rotation option, according to Sports Mole. Ndiaye could make his debut on Saturday when City host Coventry City in the Premier League, with Fernandez potentially also involved if his deal is completed in time, the report added.

Everton, meanwhile, were reportedly seeking a replacement for Ndiaye by attempting to sign Jack Grealish from City, as reported by The Independent. Ndiaye had rejected multiple offers of a new contract with Everton, the same outlet reported.