Everton have confirmed Idrissa Gueye's exit after seven seasons across two spells, with David Moyes praising his leadership, professionalism and influence. Gueye made 236 appearances for Everton across those two spells, and the club expect the 36-year-old to move on to Saudi Pro League side Al Diriyah after his contract expired at the end of June.

Moyes's farewell

Moyes did not hide the appreciation. "Everyone at Everton is hugely grateful for Gana's dedication, professionalism, and influence on the pitch throughout his two spells at the club," he said, adding that Gueye's "leadership qualities in and around the dressing room proved crucial, particularly in our final season at Goodison." He also said his commitment over many years was exceptional and that he will always be welcome at the club.

That is the right tone for a departure like this. Gueye returned to Everton on a two-year deal in 2022 after his spell at Paris Saint Germain, and he was crowned Everton's player of the season in 2024-25. This was not a forgotten squad player drifting out of the door. It was a long-serving midfielder leaving with the manager's public backing and a clear sense that his contribution still mattered.

The end of a useful midfield spell

The decision also fits the wider picture at the club. Everton finished 13th in the Premier League with 49 points, and their league numbers were hardly pretty, with 47 scored and 50 conceded. Their last five league results were LLDDL, a run that underlines why control in midfield still mattered late in the season.

Gueye's final Everton appearance came at West Ham United on April 25, when he came off with four minutes of normal time remaining and later missed the last four games of the season through an ankle injury. He leaves as a familiar and trusted presence rather than a headline name, which is probably the fairest read of his second spell. Everton are moving on, and Al Diriyah now look like the next stop after a closing chapter that stretched to 236 games.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →