Everton star Iliman Ndiaye looks poised to join Manchester City after they agreed a £65m deal with Everton
Manchester City have agreed to sign Everton's Iliman Ndiaye for a fee bigger than the one that would have taken the mercurial winger to Tottenham Hotspur.
Ndiaye was being lined-up to make a £60m move to Tottenham in a separate deal to the one that would have brought Richarlison back to Everton.
That latter deal now appears in real jeopardy with Richarlison releasing an angry statement this evening.
But Ndiaye to Spurs certainly seems off. That's because the Senegal international is poised for City.
The Etihad Stadium outfit have agreed a deal with the Blues that will see them pay £60m plus £5m in add ons.
That represents a significant profit for Everton, who paid Marseille £15m for Ndiaye, who has gone to score 17 goals in 74 appearances on Merseyside including the historic last goal at Goodison Park and first at Hill Dickinson Stadium, two summers ago.
He has returned to the Blues in excellent form after the World Cup but there was always a fear among supporters that he could be tempted away before the close of the transfer window after he admitted in the summer to wanting to play in the Champions League.
Tottenham, after a second successive season of finishing just one place above the relegation spots, could not have offered that.
But City, another huge-spending outfit, can, and they have moved for Ndiaye after seeing an £80m bid for Liverpool's Cody Gakpo rejected.
Everton are trying to do another deal with the Carabao Cup and FA Cup holders by re-signing Jack Grealish, who spent last season on loan at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Blues have also launched a bid for AS Monaco striker Folarin Balogun with one of their two current centre-forward options, Beto, looking set to join Fiorentina.
Young left-back, Adam Aznou, meanwhile, has signed for Malaga on a season-long loan.
Ndiaye, who has turned down a number of new contract offers from Everton, is expected to undergo a medical with City tomorrow (Tuesday).