Our writers — who are experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate this summer’s senior Premier League transfers in five categories, with each aspect given a score out of 100, to reach a total score out of 500. Hence, The Athletic 500. The ratings are explained in more detail here.
Below is our rating for this move.
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Tactical fit — 67/100
A look at how the player fits into his new club tactically, using Sentient Sports’ bespoke tactical-fit model, explained by our tactical expert.
Known for his balance, agility, and speed with the ball, Ndiaye excels in progressing play quickly and creating space.
He takes on defenders in one-v-one situations and advances the ball up the pitch. Ndiaye’s versatility allows him to play anywhere across the front and he can drop back into midfield to play between the lines.
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Everton under Dyche are direct, focusing on vertical, through, and quick passes. Ndiaye is suited for this style of play, given his high percentile rankings among similar players in the top five leagues, with 3.56 progressive passes per 90 (90th percentile) and 3.02 progressive carries per 90 (93rd percentile).
These statistics compare favourably to current Everton players, with Beto averaging 1.4 progressive passes and Dwight McNeil averaging 2.49 progressive carries per 90 minutes. Additionally, Ndiaye’s ability to carry the ball over long distances (82.57 yards per 90; 90th percentile) is ideal for launching fast counter-attacks and maintaining a high tempo.
In this friendly for Marseille against Bayer Leverkusen in August 2023, Ndiaye drops deep to receive the ball and advances into space to face Jonathan Tah one-on-one.
He uses his burst of pace and nimbleness on the ball to get past Jonas Hofmann and Odilon Kossounou.
His high work rate and ability to chase down balls suits Everton’s direct approach. He averages 5.54 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, showing he can contribute to regaining possession.
While Everton rely on set pieces and mixed crosses, Ndiaye’s bravery on the ball can add a new dimension to their attack.
Ndiaye can also work well with a big centre-forward. By receiving lay-offs from second balls, he can exploit spaces and attack the opposition back line. This can be beneficial in Everton’s setup. Players such as Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin can act as focal points for holding up play and winning aerial duels, allowing Ndiaye to capitalise.
GO DEEPER
Iliman Ndiaye is 'a player who makes a difference' - and now king of assists
In this December 2023 match against Clermont (below), Marseille right-back Michael Murillo heads the ball to Ndiaye, who has already scanned for space.
Ndiaye executes a clever backheel to Murillo, making an underlapping run, which leads to a goalscoring opportunity for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
While he has limited experience in Everton’s 4-4-1-1 setup, Ndiaye’s progressive passing, carrying, ball recoveries, and versatility will give a boost to his new side’s attack.
Gillian Kasirye
Season rating: 62/100
Rating the player over the course of last season, using statistics from The Athletic’s data team.
Ndiaye was viewed as a coup for Marseille when he was bought up at the beginning of last season from Sheffield United, where he helped his side achieve promotion to the Premier League in 2022-23.
But despite showing glimpses of his ability, Ndiaye never truly got going at the Stade Velodrome in his debut season.
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Across 30 league games (19 starts), the Senegal international scored three goals and registered three assists, primarily playing as a wide forward or second striker alongside Aubameyang.
Ndiaye demonstrated enough versatility to suggest his performances and output could improve at Marseille, but it was not the excellent season many expected after his standout campaign in the Championship for Sheffield United.
Elias Burke
Gaming rating: 70/100
Rating the player according to Football Manager 2024’s data across both current and potential ability.
According to Football Manager, Ndiaye is a starting-quality attacker for Everton with the potential to become one of their best players.
Ndiaye’s current ability on FM24 is 134, ranking him in a similar category to Jack Harrison (136) and McNeil (135). Perhaps most impressively, Sports Interactive’s scouting network sees very little difference in his capabilities whether playing as a left-winger, a right-winger, a No 10 or a central striker.
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Iliman Ndiaye: from the Northern Premier League to the top flight in a year
His potential is also encouraging. With a potential ability of 146, Football Manager believes Ndiaye can become a leading player in Everton’s attack. This would rank him alongside Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins (146) among strikers and Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon (148) from a winger perspective.
Elias Burke
Financial value rating: 61/100
A four-category summary of the player’s transfer in financial terms — and whether it makes sense for his new club.
Market value — 17/25
A year after Marseille paid £20million to sign Ndiaye, a £15m deal that brings the forward back to English football has plenty of appeal. While he is unproven in the Premier League, Ndiaye showed no end of promise in the Championship with Sheffield United. It has the potential to be a shrewd investment.
Squad cost — 16/25
Everton’s budget is unlikely to be vast and this might be a sizeable chunk of it — but the need to find a new attacking option was always likely to require a significant fee. It still has all the makings of a sensible deal in a trying market.
GO DEEPER
How Iliman Ndiaye went from unused substitute to the World Cup in 14 months
Contract sensibility — 15/25
Ndiaye turned down a contract with Sheffield United before leaving English football, so will know his value. While unlikely to be among the lowest earners at Everton when arriving for such a fee, the five-year deal should not become a burden in the long term.
Resale value — 13/25
The player only turned 24 in March so, in theory, there’s a long career ahead. Replicating the promise shown at Sheffield United would guarantee his value does not recede but a year spent in France, with limited success, might deter suitors down the line. His debut Premier League season will shape much of this discourse.
Philip Buckingham
Risk or reward? 60/100
Is there a history of injury or other problems that could crop up and make this deal a bad one in retrospect? Or does the player come with a clean bill of health? Our expert takes a look.
Ndiaye ticks a lot of boxes for Everton.
While their defence was excellent, only bottom-placed Sheffield United (35) scored fewer goals than Everton (40) last season. Ndiaye has a different profile than their current attackers, and he is at his best taking the ball on the half turn from defence and dribbling into the final third. A player with the ability to link Dyche’s midfield and attack—which emphasises physicality rather than intricate technical ability — will add a different dimension.
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Still, his struggles in his debut season at Marseille may not inspire confidence in the Goodison Park faithful. Ndiaye will want to start quickly at Everton, but under Dyche, he may have to wait for his opportunity to shine.
Fortunately, he has an excellent fitness record, having not yet missed any time due to injury in his professional career.
Elias Burke
Overall rating: 320/500
(Top photo: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)