Iliman Ndiaye says Manchester City was the move he wanted from the start, and that Tottenham never really stood in the way. The Everton winger joined City on deadline day in a £60m move, and his own version of events puts Champions League football at the centre of it. He also says the step back to where he began, after starting his professional career in non-league with Boreham Wood, fits the path he has taken.
Champions League football drove the decision
Speaking to the BBC, Iliman Ndiaye said: "I wanted Champions League and playing at one of the best teams in the world. I am not saying Tottenham is not, but when Manchester City comes through you don't say no."
He followed that with a line that leaves little room for doubt: "This is where I think I belong. I have worked hard to get to this point."
That is a straightforward answer to the debate over where the move came from. Ndiaye made the decision about level as much as money or timing, and he said the Champions League was part of the appeal.
The Football365 version of the deal put the total at £60m plus £5m in bonuses, while the BBC reported the move at £60m. Either way, it was a big transfer for a player who had scored 17 goals for Everton across two seasons before leaving.
Why City won out over Tottenham
Tottenham were the first to bid for him, according to the Independent, but Ndiaye says City were always the destination. He told the Independent: "For me it was always going to be City."
That lines up with the rest of his comments. City offered the Champions League platform he wanted, and he framed the move as a choice about belonging rather than a last-minute compromise.
He has also started quickly once the deal got done. Ndiaye has one goal contribution in two Premier League appearances for City, with a 7.26 average rating in 180 minutes, and City have won their last three Premier League games. It is a tidy start after a move that could easily have dragged on longer.
City will now try to turn that quick settling-in into something more permanent when he keeps adding to his early Premier League return.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
