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Everton’s new £15million signing, from Sunday League to Premier League in just 5 years

Everton’s new £15million signing Iliman Ndiaye, from playing Sunday League to the Premier League in just 5 years.

The French-born attacker has completed a move to Everton, and what a moment this is for him. His footballing journey has been quite remarkable, starting from his time at RB Sunday League side in 2016/17.

Iliman Ndiaye joined Sunday League club Rising Ballers, who help talented players get into professional football, after they spotted him playing five-a-side in Hammersmith.

He signed with Boreham Wood in 2017, was signed by Sheffield United in 2020, but sent him out on loan to Hyde, before he eventually made his way into the first-team and made his debut in the top-flight for the Blades as a late sub in a 5–0 Premier League loss to Leicester City in 2021.

On the 3rd of March 2023 in the FA Cup, he netted in the 79th minute against Tottenham Hotspur to secure a 1–0 win and send Sheffield United through to the quarter-finals.

He managed to help the Blades secure promotion two years later. Then signed for Marseille in August 2023 with the transfer fee reportedly worth £20 million.

Ndiaye played 46 times for the Ligue 1 outfit, scored 4 goals and contributed 5 assists, before leaving for Everton.

He’s also represented Senegal at the 2022 World Cup, earning three of his 19 international caps during the tournament.

Rising Ballers tweeted recently: “Marseille baller Iliman Ndiaye is set to join Everton in the next few days 😮‍💨💎

A reminder that he used to play for the RB Sunday League side in 2016/17 before turning professional with Boreham Wood, Sheffield United and then Marseille 🙌

What a journey… From RB to the Prem ❤️

When Iliman Ndiaye was introduced to us back in 2019, we knew he had something special about him, and although he was 19, someone would take a chance on him and offer him a professional contract. Fast forward 5 years he has: 📝 Signed his first professional contract ✅

Made his Premier League debut. 🌎

Played in the World Cup for Senegal 🇫🇷

Signed for his boyhood club in France, Marseille

🔵 & has just moved to Everton for £17M Ilimans story is inspiring for every kid in London, there’s another Iliman out there, and we can’t wait to follow his journey at Everton football club. 🙏”

Everton have signed versatile forward Iliman Ndiaye from Olympique Marseille for an undisclosed fee, the Senegal international penning a five-year contract until the end of June 2029.

The 24-year-old, who can play in multiple attacking positions, becomes the Blues’ third addition of the summer transfer window following the return of Jack Harrison on a season-long loan from Leeds United, and young central midfielder Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa.

An international teammate of Idrissa Gana Gueye, Ndiaye joined Marseille last August, going on to make 46 appearances for the French giants, including 14 in their run to the Europa League semi-finals.

A technically-gifted forward who is strong at carrying the ball and taking players on, Ndiaye revealed the key factors to wanting to sign for Everton and what he hopes to bring to Sean Dyche’s team to build on their progress from last season.

“I am so pleased to be an Everton player,” he told evertontv. “The main reasons I wanted to join were how big the club is, its history and the part I can play in helping the team in the forward direction it is going in. I’m so excited and can’t wait to get going.

“Kevin [Thelwell] and the manager both spoke to me and made me feel wanted. My Senegal teammate Idrissa also played a part and spoke highly of the Club and a lot of good things.

“As a player, I like to dribble, show skills and get the fans out their seats. I want to score goals and get assists but I also like to work hard. I love running, chasing the ball, getting the team high up the pitch. As a striker, you’re the first defender. I love doing that bit.

“I’m so excited. I want to come in and carry on from the team’s progress last season. I feel like I’ll be ready to help and I just want to give it my all to get this club higher up the table.”

Born in France, Ndiaye started his youth career at local club Rouen and later signed for Marseille’s academy. From there, he moved to Dakar Sacre-Coeur in Senegal, the country of his father’s birth, before moving to England and joining Boreham Wood.

He signed for Sheffield United in August 2019 and made his name as a professional at Bramall Lane, proving a key attacking talent for the Blades.

Scoring twice on his full debut in a 6-2 win over Peterborough United in September 2021, Ndiaye hit the winning goal against Tottenham Hotspur in March 2023 to send Sheffield United through to the FA Cup quarter-finals.

The attacker was vital to the Yorkshire club during the 2022/23 campaign, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists to help secure United’s promotion to the Premier League.

On playing a part in Everton’s last-ever season at Goodison Park – as well as revealing his ambition once the Blues move into their new world-class waterfront stadium for the start of 2025/26 – Ndiaye added: “It’s funny because someone said to me, ‘Imagine you scoring the first goal at the new stadium’. It would be a quiz question for so long, ‘Who scored the first goal for Everton at the new stadium?’. At that moment, my daughter, who can’t really talk yet, said, ‘Dada’! Great answer! That’s my target.

“I’ll be very proud to be part of the last season to play Goodison Park, too. There’s history here. I’m really happy to now be part of that.

“I’m so excited to play in front of all these fans because when you watch the games, you hear them on the TV. I’ll try to get them off their seats and they will try to push me on the pitch to get them off their seats. I’m just so excited.”

Everton manager Sean Dyche said: “Iliman adds versatility to our attacking options and strengthens our forward line as we look to build on the progress we made as a team last season in terms of chances created.

“He is still young but has experience at European and international level and we feel he will be a really positive addition to our squad.”

Director of Football, Kevin Thelwell, added: “Iliman is a player we have admired for a long time and we are delighted to bring a much sought-after player of his quality to Everton.

“We think he will excite Evertonians and give our attack a different dimension. He has performed in Europe with a big club like Marseille and, at 24, we are confident he can be an excellent player for us for many years to come.”

HIS CAREER:

Youth career
2005–2009 – Rouen Sapins
2009–2011 – Rouen
2011–2012 – Marseille
2014–2016 – Dakar Sacré-Cœur
2016–2019 – Boreham Wood

Senior career
2019–2023 – Sheffield United – 88 games (22 goals)
2020 → Hyde United (loan) – 9 games (1 goal)
2023–2024 – Marseille – 46 games (4 goals)
2024– Everton
Total – 143 games (27 goals)

International career
2022– Senegal – 20 games (2 goals)

HONOURS:

EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2022–23
PFA Team of the Year: 2022–23 Championship
Sheffield United Player of the Year: 2022–23
Sheffield United Players’ Player of the Year: 2022–23

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