Spurs and Newcastle target Everton star

Spurs pivot to Iliman Ndiaye after Morgan Rogers renewal

Market context and motivation

Tottenham’s winger search has taken a predictable turn, with Morgan Rogers committing his long-term future to Aston Villa until 2031, as first reported elsewhere and credited in TeamTalk’s follow up. Spurs had tracked Rogers for months and weighed a summer move, but, as TeamTalk relayed, they suspected a renewal was imminent and recalibrated their list accordingly. Dean Jones told TeamTalk, “Friday was not a great day for Tottenham in terms of transfer news as two of the players they really like from within the Premier League look like they won’t be gettable any time soon.” That reality has placed Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye near the top of Tottenham’s shortlist.

Profile and fit at Tottenham

Ndiaye brings Premier League experience, direct running and end-product. As TeamTalk note, he has 15 goals and one assist in 49 Everton appearances, with a contract to 2029. Spurs want dynamism in wide areas, and the description shared with TeamTalk is instructive, “he is a player with a spark, and that’s the sort of thing Tottenham are looking for.” Sources framed the shift as opportunistic rather than reactive. One line, again via Jones, captures the internal logic, “It’s not a major blow because they expected it to be a difficult deal, but I do think that Ndiaye has crept onto their radar as someone that might become more attainable.” From conversations described to TeamTalk, the club view Ndiaye as a system fit who can attack full backs on the outside and press high, while offering depth across the frontline.

Photo: IMAGO

Pricing reality and Everton posture

TeamTalk’s Fraser Fletcher offered a clear steer on valuation, with Everton described as ready to rebuff January interest and dismissing a mooted £30 million fee as “laughable.” The report adds, “Everton are adamant they won’t entertain offers below their internal assessment,” and draws parallels with premium valuations across the league. There is external attention too, with Newcastle United, Juventus, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid monitoring, while Napoli admire the player’s versatility. TeamTalk also carry firm public guidance from the dugout. As quoted by the Liverpool Echo and carried by TeamTalk, the manager said, “Here at Everton, we’re building a team and we want to build with players like Ili, so we’ve got no intention of letting him go, that’s for sure.”

Timelines and Tottenham’s playbook

Spurs are planning for multiple outcomes, and the cadence is straightforward. January is difficult, summer is more plausible, contingent on Everton’s season and the market for wide forwards. As one source line in TeamTalk has it, “It’s probably one to keep an eye on.” Internally, Tottenham accept that elite domestic wingers command a premium, and their stance echoes the message briefed to TeamTalk, “There really is no limit in terms of the ambition Spurs are going to show from this point on.” In short, Tottenham have moved quickly after the Rogers disappointment, they have identified Ndiaye as a serious target, and they are braced for a negotiation that will require patience and flexibility.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

Tottenham supporters will read this and see two truths at once. First, the club recognised the Rogers impasse early, and that is encouraging, smart clubs anticipate renewals and pivot. Second, the alternative is talented and Premier League proven, but the path to signing him is crowded and expensive. Everton’s position, as relayed in TeamTalk, sounds immovable, “no intention of letting him go,” and the valuation guidance wipes out the idea of a £30 million deal. For Spurs, the question is not only whether Ndiaye improves the XI, it is whether he moves the needle against rivals who can also outbid and out-wage.

From a fan perspective, the worry sits with timing. January buying from a domestic peer is historically messy, and summer windows quickly become complex if multiple suitors are involved. If Tottenham want a right-now injection of pace and goals, a continental option with a release clause may prove more attainable. That does not mean Ndiaye should be off the list, far from it, but contingency planning matters, especially if Everton secure their aims early in the window.