Tottenham make Ndiaye move with Richarlison set for Everton

North London and Merseyside Linked in a Web of Interconnected Transfer Deals

Constantvpn.com – The final days before Tuesday’s Premier League transfer deadline are shaping up as a tangled web of linked moves, with Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at the centre of a swap that could reshape both squads. The two clubs are in advanced negotiations for a two-way exchange: Iliman Ndiaye, the 26-year-old midfielder who arrived at Goodison Park from Marseille in 2024, is expected to travel to north London, while Brazilian forward Richarlison — who originally joined Spurs from Everton back in 2022 — is poised to complete the reverse journey.

Although the broad outline of the Ndiaye transaction has been largely settled between the two boards, complications remain. Manchester City have expressed interest in the Senegalese international, meaning the player’s final destination is not yet locked in. City’s scouting department has also explored the possibility of signing Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, another name on Spurs’ shortlist, though the Reds would need to identify a suitable replacement before authorising any departure.

Richarlison’s Departure and Everton’s Striker Equation

On the Everton side, the club has agreed terms in principle to re-sign Richarlison after the Brazil international made his desire to depart Tottenham unmistakably clear. The forward, now entering the final 12 months of his Spurs contract, has repeatedly communicated his wish to leave to head coach Roberto De Zerbi. At Goodison Park, his arrival would inject direct competition for the starting striker role currently occupied by Thierno Barry, whose own long-term future at the Hill Dickinson Stadium remains uncertain.

Richarlison’s departure would come at a sensitive moment for Spurs. Last season he netted 11 league goals — the most of any player in the squad — and was instrumental in guiding the club to Premier League survival on the final day of a campaign that ended in 17th place. De Zerbi himself acknowledged earlier in August that replacing such a player would be a considerable challenge, remarking that it is “not easy to find another striker like Richarlison.”

De Zerbi’s Candid Assessment

Following a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle on Saturday — a result that left Tottenham bottom of the table with two games played and no goals scored — De Zerbi addressed the status of three players who have requested exits. None of the three featured in the matchday squad for that fixture.

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

“Danso came to me two days ago and he said wants to leave and Pape Sarr the same, but he suffered a small injury, but he is almost ready to train.”

“I have very good relationships but if they want to leave, they have to bring the solution, the economic solution, to the club, and they can go.”

The three players in question — Richarlison, centre-back Kevin Danso, and midfielder Pape Matar Sarr — represent a significant portion of the squad’s depth, and their simultaneous exit would place considerable pressure on a coaching staff already managing a squad rebuilt around a spend exceeding £300 million this summer.

Everton’s Broader Recruitment Push

Beyond the Richarlison-Ndiaye axis, Everton are pressing ahead on multiple fronts. The club has grown increasingly confident of finalising a loan arrangement to bring Jack Grealish back from Manchester City, where the England international enters the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium. Precise financial terms remain complicated, but Grealish has made clear he prioritises a return to Everton — where he spent last season on loan — over the prospect of rejoining boyhood club Aston Villa, who have also shown interest.

On the defensive flank, Everton are targeting a right-back and have reopened discussions over Fulham’s Kenny Tete after he came close to completing a move last summer. Fulham, in turn, are already evaluating potential replacements and have entered talks to sign Andrei Ratiu. These interconnected negotiations underscore how tightly linked the final hours of the window have become across the Premier League.

Danso and Sarr: The Remaining Departures

Danso, who carries 36 caps for Austria, faces diminished first-team prospects this season with the arrivals of Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke to contest the central-defence positions. Micky van de Ven’s place in the back line has been cemented by a new contract and the award of the captaincy. Sunderland tabled a season-long loan bid for the Austrian, but Spurs turned it down.

Sarr, 23, has seen his playing time curtailed by the early-window signings of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali in midfield. Tottenham broke their own club-record fee twice within a single week to secure those arrivals, marking the start of what has been described as a statement summer of recruitment. The Senegal international has attracted attention from several Premier League clubs and Turkish side Besiktas, though Juventus are understood to be confident of completing a loan deal carrying a conditional obligation to purchase. Sarr originally joined Spurs from Metz in 2021.

Spurs’ High-Stakes Summer

The backdrop to all these negotiations is a club attempting to correct two consecutive seasons finishing 17th in the Premier League. Tottenham have signed eight first-team players this summer and committed more than £300 million in total spending, yet the early-season results — defeats at Brentford and Newcastle, with no goals scored — have left them at the foot of the table. Last week, Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush arrived on loan and slotted into De Zerbi’s starting lineup against Newcastle in Richarlison’s absence, a temporary fix that underscores the urgency of finding a more permanent solution before the deadline arrives.