Tottenham’s attacking plans have taken another unexpected turn, with fresh reports linking the club to a late move for Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye. Spurs remain keen on Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, but with the window entering its final stretch, Thomas Frank’s side appear to be keeping multiple options alive rather than banking everything on one deal.
Journalist Santi Aouna reports that Tottenham are eyeing Ndiaye as part of their attacking reinforcements before deadline day, and remarkably, the deal could see Richarlison move back to Everton in the opposite direction. Richarlison spent a productive period at Goodison Park before joining Spurs, so a return would add real intrigue to any negotiation.
Complicating matters, Manchester City are also said to be in advanced talks with Everton over Ndiaye, raising the prospect of a genuine three-way scramble for the Senegalese forward. Aouna’s update adds that Spurs’ interest in Folarin Balogun is still alive too, while City’s discussions with Ndiaye’s camp are described as progressing, and Jack Grealish has been mentioned as a possible makeweight heading to Everton. Everton are said to value Ndiaye at around £80 million, meaning any move would require serious financial backing from Tottenham.
The timing raises an interesting question: is Spurs’ interest in Ndiaye a genuine alternative plan, or a tactic to complicate City’s own pursuit of Gakpo? City have reportedly made contact with Gakpo’s representatives, a development that could make life harder for Tottenham in that chase. That’s fuelled suggestions Spurs might be lining up a backup option — or even trying to distract a rival suitor.
There’s no confirmation yet that Tottenham’s Ndiaye interest is a deliberate smokescreen, but the overlap in timing hasn’t gone unnoticed. What is clear is the club’s determination to add attacking depth before the window shuts, with Gakpo, Ndiaye and Balogun all reportedly on the radar.
A Richarlison-Ndiaye swap would be one of the window’s more dramatic storylines — a familiar face heading back to Merseyside while Spurs gain a different kind of attacking threat. City’s parallel involvement, though, could make any deal far tougher to complete.
With deadline day fast approaching, Tottenham’s attacking pursuits look set for more twists before the window closes — and the outcome involving Gakpo, Ndiaye and City could end up being one of the stories of the summer.
