Tottenham reach Iliman Ndiaye deal as Richarlison departure looks imminent

Everton's Iliman Ndiaye in action. Pic: Peter Tarry/PA Wire.

Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign Everton striker Iliman Ndiaye.

Spurs striker Richarlison is poised to head the other way back to his former club in a separate transfer.

Spurs are looking to bring in extra attacking options before the transfer window shuts on Tuesday and the Senegal frontman could be the next through the door after the signings of Manchester City duo Savio and Omar Marmoush earlier this week.

Everton have tried to keep Ndiaye, who played 90 minutes in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, but he has rejected multiple offers for a new contract over the last 12 months.

Ndiaye, 26, joined the Toffees in 2024 following a short stint at Marseille and he has scored 17 goals in 73 appearances.

If the move goes through, he could be replaced by Richarlison, who Everton have an interest in bringing back to the club where he enjoyed a successful four-year spell.

Richarlison left Merseyside in 2022, joining Antonio Conte’s Spurs side in a £60million deal, but has had a frustrating time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Boss Roberto De Zerbi revealed the Brazilian, who is in the final year of his contract, was left out of Saturday’s squad for the 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle because he had asked to leave “too many times”.

“Richarlison, I don’t know. He said too many times he wants to leave,” De Zerbi said.

“If they want to leave, they have to bring the solution, the economic solution, to the club, and they can go, and we find other players.” 

Meanwhile, Everton will not sell Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest.

Forest had made a reported bid of £40million for the England youth international and boss David Moyes confirmed the club were considering the offer.

However, the Toffees have decided to keep their 19-year-old homegrown talent amid a backlash from fans at his proposed sale.

Armstrong played in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, where furious Everton supporters chanted his name and threatened to “riot” if their player was sold.

Moyes understood the fan reaction, saying: “I think you always have to consider supporters; supporters aren’t always wrong.

“But then there’s also times where I’ve had people at clubs who are really powerful and make difficult decisions.

“I’d bring into that Bryan Gray, who was at Preston North End, and Sir Philip Carter, who was at Everton when I first came in. Not always decisions are popular, and sometimes they have to do it for different reasons.

“Managers have to make decisions on players sometimes and they feel like huge decisions. But there’s sometimes bigger decisions to be made and the club will, I’m sure, make what they think is the right one.

“If I’d say something to them (the fans), I’d say their manager’s an Evertonian.”