Everton are close to completing a deal with Marseille for former Sheffield United striker Iliman Ndiaye, The Pitch Prospect has learned.
The French record champions hope to recoup most of the £20 million they paid to Sheffield United last summer.
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After four years with the Blades, including two impressive championship seasons, Ndiaye swapped Brammall Lane for the Stade Velodrome last summer.
However, after just three goals and three assists in 19 starts and eleven substitutions in Ligue 1, he appears to be on the verge of returning to England.
Ndiaye has had great success with the Blades, who he joined from Boreham Wood in 2019.
He made a breakthrough in the 2022/23 season and became a mainstay in Paul Heckingbotham’s team the following season.
His 14 goals and ten assists in the championship secured them second place and promotion to the Premier League.
Ndiaye also helped Sheffield United pull off an FA Cup upset, scoring to give them a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the fifth round.
And although it was a huge shock for the Blades to let the player go, they acknowledged there was nothing they could do to stop him.
“It is the club of his childhood, his dream club,” Heckingbotham said at the time.
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“That was the fight we had to fight. That’s the problem. Iliman turned down huge sums of money last January to stay with us and help us get promoted. So it’s not about the money.”
However, this came despite the club reportedly filming a video announcing that he would sign a new contract and receive the number 10 shirt previously worn by club legend Billy Sharp.
Everton seem determined to achieve their goals early this season.
They have already signed Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa and secured Jack Harrison on loan from Leeds for the second season in a row.
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