Iliman NdiayePlayer·Iliman Ndiaye’s latest declaration that he wants to play Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League football intensifies scrutiny on his long-term future at EvertonTeam·Everton and underlines the scale of the challenge facing the club to keep one of their most influential attackers.
Speaking ahead of Senegal’s World Cup campaign, the forward set out a clear benchmark for the next phase of his career, stating that he wants to be competing “at the top level” and specifically in the Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League. His admission lands at a delicate moment for EvertonTeam·Everton, who did not qualify for Europe’s elite competition in the 2025/26 season and are still working to position themselves back in continental contention.
Ndiaye remains under contract at Goodison Park until 2029, giving EvertonTeam·Everton significant contractual security and leverage. According to multiple reports, the club have already moved to reward his importance with an improved deal, but talks have stalled, with the player understood to have turned down several proposals for extended or upgraded terms. EvertonTeam·Everton are described as relaxed about the situation and are expected to demand a substantial fee before even considering a sale.
The 2025/26 campaign reinforces why his future has become a talking point across the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League. Ndiaye ends the league season with 6 goals and 3 assists, a return that confirms his status as one of EvertonTeam·Everton’s key attacking outlets. His performances before the Africa Cup of Nations drew particular praise, with his output and influence dipping in the second half of the season after his return from international duty.
At the same time, his own assessment of the year has been notably measured. He has spoken of a season that started strongly but faded, acknowledging that he still has steps to take before he can consistently perform at the level he is targeting. That gap between current production and stated aspiration is part of what fuels debate around whether his Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League ambition is a natural next step or a challenge to raise his standards within EvertonTeam·Everton’s project.
Interest from Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League regulars adds another layer. Manchester CityTeam·Manchester City, ArsenalTeam·Arsenal and Manchester UnitedTeam·Manchester United are among the clubs reported to be monitoring Ndiaye’s situation, with other leading Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League sides also tracking developments. For now, that attention has not progressed into confirmed bids, but the combination of a long contract, EvertonTeam·Everton’s valuation and his desire for top-tier European football makes him one of the more closely watched forwards outside the Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League places.
For EvertonTeam·Everton, the situation is as much about perception as personnel. The club have repeatedly briefed that they do not want to be seen as a selling club and that it will take a huge offer to tempt them into negotiations. Keeping Ndiaye would signal an intent to build a side capable of pushing into the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League’s European positions, where Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League qualification typically demands a top-four – and in some seasons top-five – finish.
That target frames the next phase for both player and club. From EvertonTeam·Everton’s side, the task is to convince Ndiaye that he can achieve his Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League ambition on Merseyside by constructing a team that can compete over 38 games with England’s established elite. From Ndiaye’s perspective, every season that passes without Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League football sharpens the question of whether his ambitions are best served by staying within the project or seeking a move to a club already operating at that level.
There is no suggestion at this stage of an imminent exit, formal transfer request or agreement with another club. Instead, the coming months look set to be defined by a stand-off of priorities: EvertonTeam·Everton’s determination to retain a player they consider central to their European push, and Ndiaye’s stated desire to test himself in the competition that still serves as the clearest marker of a forward’s standing in the modern game.
How quickly EvertonTeam·Everton can close the gap to the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League’s Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League contenders, and whether Ndiaye is willing to wait for that rise, will shape one of the club’s most important storylines heading into the next campaign.
Everton midfielder Iliman Ndiaye (10) during a Premier League match. Photo: Pro Sports Images/IMAGO
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