Everton told how to keep 'one-off talent' this summer amid transfer interest from Man Utd & Arsenal as Toffees are warned against big-money sale

Everton acquired Ndiaye for just £17 million ($23m) in the summer of 2024. That deal, which was struck with Marseille, has been made to look like quite the bargain. The 26-year-old playmaker has become a key creative cog in the Premier League machine being pieced together by David Moyes on Merseyside.

Ndiaye registered 11 goals across all competitions last season and has five efforts, alongside three assists, to his name in 2025-26. His ability to glide beyond defenders, carrying the ball effortlessly up the pitch, has been noted by leading sides in England and across Europe.

Gray is not surprised to see transfer speculation building, with the former Toffees star - speaking in association with BetSelect.co.uk - telling GOAL of what makes Ndiaye special: “He's a dribbler. We don't see many of them these days. He's a man who likes to run with the ball, he likes to take people on, he's quick, he's talented, he's got great skills, and he seems to have a really good attitude as well. And it was a steal that Everton got him for the money they got him for.

“And, yeah, he's done brilliantly well, attracting a lot of attention, and it's going to be a big, big ask for Everton as well. If Everton could sneak into European football in any shape or form, then that would go a long way to helping him stay there. But Moyes is very persuasive, and I like David. He's a good coach. I know him well, obviously, and I think he would be desperately keen to keep him there, because he's a kind of one-off talent.

“The way he goes about his game, the way you just give him the ball and he can take it for a walk for about 30 seconds, and you can have a breather while he's dribbling past three or four players. He's that kind of player. So David will be desperately keen to keep him.”

Quizzed on whether it comes as any surprise that Everton faced little competition for Ndiaye when bringing him back to English football, with his ability first becoming apparent at Sheffield United, Gray added: “Well, that's what happens. I mean, if you do your scouting properly. And that was a strange one, because he was making a few headlines, yes, a team that was really, really struggling. But no-one, I don't know why, what they looked at and didn't like about him. I don't know, but that was to Everton's benefit, so we'll not complain.”

Everton have Ndiaye tied to a contract through to 2029, so are under no pressure to sell. If they were to open themselves up to offers, though, then the likelihood is that considerable profit would be made on the France-born winger.

Asked if he could generate a fee four times higher than that which took him to Merseyside, Gray said of Ndiaye’s asking price: “Easy, easy, easy, easy. I'll tell you what you want - that’s a player on the pitch. I think that money in the bank doesn't get you up the league. It can buy you new players, but what do you lose? You lose a really good player who's a hugely important part of the team.

“Defensively, fine, you can get away with it. If you sell defenders, I always think you can bring other people in who can defend and teach them, but the talent he has is very difficult to replicate and to teach. He's just a natural, talented footballer, so to try and replicate that, even with another £60-70 million, it's going to be very difficult. You have to then encourage somebody to come as well, which is never easy.”

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