It’s been a turbulent old ride for Everton, over these past several years, but there’s something to be praised in the Goodison Park side’s continual ability to drag themselves away from trouble.
This season’s four-match losing run to kick off the Premier League campaign led most to consign the Toffees to relegation, but Sean Dyche has since engineered a four-match unbeaten streak and is indeed beginning to make headway.
The feel-good factor isn’t quite back, but the seeds of dread that had been sown across those autumnal months have been uprooted and there is cause for optimism once again. One of the chief reasons? Iliman Ndiaye plies his trade on Merseyside, of course.
Iliman Ndiaye's start to life at Everton
Has it been a barnstorming start? Perhaps, as an individual, Ndiaye has indeed proved his seat-raising quality with some exceptional displays for Dyche’s outfit.
The dynamic winger ranks among the top 13% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and tackles won and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, highlighting his fleet-footed brilliance but also a tenacious approach to defending that has earned him plaudits.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
Purchased from Ligue 1 club Marseille for £17m in the summer, the former Sheffield United talent has added a dimension to Everton’s attacking play this season and has duly won the fanbase over.
Ndiaye, 24, has already made his mark for sure, with three goals posted across ten fixtures in all competitions. There’s still work to do in regard to his numbers, but that will come with time and experience on Merseyside.
Of course, there’s an Everton flop from the 2023/24 campaign that is actually outperforming the Senegal international this term. Arnaut Danjuma is belying his poor spell at Everton with some fine displays over in Spain with Girona.
Arnaut Danjuma has outperformed Ndiaye since leaving
Everton welcomed Danjuma from Villarreal in the summer of 2023, completing a season-long loan move. It was perhaps destined to fail, for the Dutchman had rejected the Toffees that January after Tottenham Hotspur came a-calling, despite having reached the verge of completion.
It didn’t work out. A centre-forward slash left winger, Danjuma recorded only two goals across 21 matches for Everton, failing to assist a goal, as he struggled for form and fitness, starting just five Premier League matches.
This season, he’s already scored two goals and provided two assists across 13 matches, having scored both times for the Yellow Wall before moving to Girona, where he has assisted twice in the Champions League. That return of four goal involvements is ahead of what Ndiaye (three) has achieved back at Goodison.
Brettland’s comments shed some light on the consensus: Everton had landed themselves a talented and versatile forward who bore the properties for success in the Premier League, but despite that natural-born talent, he was in the end “anonymous” throughout his campaign.
Given that he’s returned to La Liga and swiftly rekindled his potency, it must be frustrating for Dyche and co to witness.
Matches (starts)
10 (8)
8 (6)
Goals
2
2
Assists
0
0
Shots (on target)*
1.5 (0.7)
1.0 (0.6)
Pass completion
83%
83%
Key passes*
0.7
0.6
Dribbles*
0.8
2.0
Ball recoveries*
1.5
6.3
Total duels won*
2.2
5.4
That is, it would be frustrating, were Ndiaye not donning the shimmering blue shirt. He might not have reached the same tally as Everton’s loan flop in 2024/25, but Danjuma has failed to impress in the Premier League with both Spurs and Everton.
Ndiaye, conversely, looks like he could become one of the club’s brightest stars across the past several years.
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