Iliman Ndiaye
Agent, Salary, Contract, Club and Profile
Senegal €55mm
Key Facts
Date of birth: 06.03.2000
Nationality: Senegal
Current club: Everton
Position: Right Winger / Attacking Midfielder
Height: 1.80m
Current market value: €55m
Represented by: Classico Sports Management
Main agent: Jonathan Maarek
Reported salary: £2.34m gross per year
Contract expires: 30.06.2029
About
Iliman Ndiaye is a Senegalese winger and attacking midfielder who plays for Everton and the Senegal national team. Born in Rouen, France, he is a technically gifted and highly mobile attacker known for his close control, dribbling and ability to operate between midfield and attack.
Ndiaye joined Everton from Olympique de Marseille in 2024 and quickly developed into one of the club’s most important attacking players. Primarily used from the left or right side, he can also operate centrally as a number ten or second striker.
His pathway to elite football was unconventional. After spending time in the academies of Rouen, Marseille and Dakar Sacré-Cœur, Ndiaye moved to England and played non-league football before being recruited by Sheffield United. His breakthrough at Bramall Lane eventually earned him a move to Marseille and subsequently a return to the Premier League with Everton.
At international level, Ndiaye represents Senegal and made his senior debut in 2022. He featured at the 2022 and 2026 FIFA World Cups and has become an established member of the national-team attacking group.
As of 31 August 2026, Manchester City have reached an agreement to sign Ndiaye from Everton in a deal potentially worth around £65m. The transfer remains subject to final medical and registration procedures, meaning Everton remain his official club at the time of publication.
Representation
Agency: Classico Sports Management
Main representative: Jonathan Maarek
Agency founder and president: Jonathan Maarek
Headquarters: Paris, France
Jurisdiction: France and international markets
FIFA/FFF status: Jonathan Maarek is a FIFA-licensed and FFF-licensed football agent
Linked with Ndiaye since: His established senior career
Also represents: Mamadou Sarr, Guillaume Restes, Bafodé Diakité, Keito Nakamura and Christian Mawissa
Related agency page: Classico Sports Management
Ndiaye is represented by Classico Sports Management, a Paris-based boutique agency founded by Jonathan Maarek.
Classico combines traditional football representation with career planning, legal support, commercial management, performance services and international transfer coordination.
The agency has represented Ndiaye through his move from Marseille to Everton and during the significant increase in his market profile in the Premier League.
Jonathan Maarek and his team are also involved around the negotiations concerning Ndiaye’s potential move to Manchester City in the summer of 2026.
Career timeline
2007: Began playing football with Rouen Sapins
2009: Joined FC Rouen
2010: Joined Olympique de Marseille’s academy
2014: Moved to Senegal and joined Dakar Sacré-Cœur
2016: Returned to England and joined Boreham Wood’s development structure
2019: Played with Rising Ballers
2019: Joined Sheffield United
2020: Spent time on loan with Hyde United
2021/22: Broke into Sheffield United’s senior team
2022: Made his senior international debut for Senegal
2022: Represented Senegal at the FIFA World Cup
2022/23: Became one of Sheffield United’s leading attacking players
2022/23: Helped Sheffield United earn promotion to the Premier League
August 2023: Joined Olympique de Marseille
2023/24: Spent one season in Ligue 1 with Marseille
July 2024: Joined Everton
2024/25: Established himself as an important Premier League attacker
2025/26: Continued as one of Everton’s principal attacking players
2026: Represented Senegal at the FIFA World Cup
August 2026: Rejected Everton contract-extension proposals
August 2026: Tottenham reached an agreement to sign him
31 August 2026: Manchester City moved ahead of Tottenham and agreed a deal with Everton worth up to approximately £65m
Transfer history
2019 – Rising Ballers to Sheffield United – Youth/free transfer
2020 – Sheffield United to Hyde United – Loan
2020 – Hyde United to Sheffield United – Returned after loan
2023 – Sheffield United to Olympique de Marseille – Permanent transfer – Reported fee: approximately €17m
2024 – Olympique de Marseille to Everton – Permanent transfer – Reported fee: approximately €18m – Contract until June 2029
2026 – Everton to Manchester City – Agreement reached for permanent transfer – Reported fee: £60m plus approximately £5m in add-ons – Pending final completion
Ndiaye’s breakthrough with Sheffield United was particularly significant given his unconventional route into professional football. He developed from non-league and academy football into one of the Championship’s most effective attacking players.
His move to Marseille gave him the opportunity to play for the club whose academy he had attended as a child, but he returned to England after only one season.
At Everton, Ndiaye’s performances substantially increased his market value. By the summer of 2026, several leading Premier League clubs were pursuing him, culminating in Manchester City moving ahead of Tottenham for his signature on deadline day.
Playing profile
Ndiaye is an extremely versatile attacking player who can operate as a right winger, left winger, number ten, second striker or occasionally as the highest forward.
His greatest technical strength is his ability to receive possession in tight spaces and turn away from pressure. Ndiaye has a low centre of gravity, quick feet and excellent balance, allowing him to retain the ball when surrounded by defenders.
He is particularly effective when carrying possession towards goal. Rather than relying purely on straight-line speed, Ndiaye uses changes of direction, body feints and subtle touches to manipulate opponents.
His versatility allows him to drift between central and wide positions. He can receive between the lines as a creative midfielder before carrying the ball forward or move towards the touchline to isolate a full-back.
Without possession, Ndiaye contributes significant defensive intensity. He presses aggressively, tracks opposing defenders and is willing to recover into deeper areas.
His combination of technical quality, defensive work rate and positional flexibility makes him particularly useful in fluid attacking systems where forwards are expected to rotate positions frequently.
Key strengths
Close control
One-on-one dribbling
Press resistance
Progressive ball carrying
Positional versatility
Changes of direction
Creativity between the lines
High pressing intensity
Combination play
Attacking transitions
Ball retention under pressure
Ability to play centrally or wide
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