Manchester City Hijack Spurs to Sign Iliman Ndiaye
Manchester City waited until the final day of the window to show their hand. When they did, they ripped up Tottenham’s script.
City swooped in to hijack Spurs’ move for Iliman Ndiaye, agreeing a £65m deal with Everton that underlined both their financial muscle and their ruthless clarity in the market. The package, as reported by The Athletic, is built around a £60m fee with a further £5m in potential add-ons.
Tottenham had already been forced into a rethink. Their first push had been for Cody Gakpo, only to see that chase collapse despite long-standing interest. Ndiaye became the next name on their list, a versatile Senegal international capable of playing across the front line and linking attacks with sharp movement and direct running.
City had been watching both. When the opportunity opened, they moved with the kind of speed that has become a hallmark of their recruitment.
“It’s easy to make the decision about whether you want to be at Manchester City or not,” the 26-year-old said after sealing the move. “You can see the recent history; you want to be part of that project.”
Those around the deal speak of conversations that were short, direct and convincing. The player himself pointed to talks with the club hierarchy as the decisive moment.
“They talked to me about where we could go, what we could achieve with me in the team, and I was interested from the beginning,” he explained. “There was nothing else that I wanted other than joining Manchester City.”
The words matched the body language: a forward who knows this is the biggest stage of his career and intends to embrace it.
“Obviously, you want to be part of this new project. I’ve seen recently what they’ve been doing, and I feel like I will fit right in it,” he said. “I’m super excited to start. It’s an unbelievable moment. I’ve worked so hard to get to this point and I’m super excited and really grateful for this opportunity.”
His arrival came at the end of a staggering late surge from City in the market.
Ndiaye was not the only major signing unveiled. The club also completed the £125m capture of Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, a deal that matches the British transfer record and reunites the Argentine with Enzo Maresca. It is a transfer that speaks loudly: a Champions League-level midfielder dropped into a squad already brimming with technical quality, now back under a coach who knows how to draw the best from him.
One window. Two marquee arrivals. A fresh layer of depth and invention for a side already setting the standard domestically.
The ripple effect hit north London hard.
Tottenham, having missed out first on Gakpo and then on Ndiaye, suddenly found themselves scrambling in the final hours. Their recruitment team turned back towards Stamford Bridge, this time with more success. A loan deal for Mykhailo Mudryk was pushed over the line before the deadline, reuniting the winger with Roberto De Zerbi, under whom he produced some of his most electric football at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Spurs got their winger. City got their forward. City also got their record-equalling midfielder.
When the dust settles on this window, one question will linger: in a title race shaped by fine margins, how much will this late City ambush change the balance of power?
