Iliman

Iliman Ndiaye says “you don’t say no” when Manchester City come calling, and playing in the Champions League is where he belongs.

The 26-year-old could have gone to Tottenham but made a £60m move from Everton to City on transfer deadline day and was thrown straight into the starting XI for his new side in a 1-0 Premier League victory over Coventry at the weekend.

In the final week of the transfer window, it appeared as though Ndiaye would be moving to Spurs after they agreed a deal with Everton, but they were unable to proceed with the move having failed to sell Richarlison.

“There was no stress or panicking,” said Ndiaye.

“I always say whatever comes, comes. God decides your future – it is already written.

“I was just being patient and when City came through I was buzzing. It was always going to be City.

“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.

“It has been a good week for me and topped off with a win.”

Despite Everton finishing in the bottom half of the table in his two seasons at the club, Ndiaye became a fans’ favourite for his skills on the flanks and scoring 17 goals.

“When I was speaking with my wife, I was telling her that if I had to leave Everton it would be somewhere where I know I would be playing Champions League,” he said.

“It was difficult to leave Everton. I created a great connection with the fans and the players there, but we have to move on sometimes and it’s how football is.”

City clung on to a nervy victory against the Sky Blues to maintain their 100% winning start to the season, but managed to get the job done courtesy of a string of saves from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Haaland continued his fine start to the season by converting his third goal in as many games from Antoine Semenyo’s deep cross, which came after Fernandez played through a slide-rule pass to the Ghanaian.

Playing in the number eight role, Argentina international Fernandez was given licence to roam and make late bursts into the box – he touched the ball six times in the opposition area, with only Haaland managing more with 11.

Fernandez could have had a dream debut but saw two shots blocked, before being replaced after 76 minutes by fellow summer signing Ayyoub Bouaddi.

The 18-year-old Morocco international was part of City’s midfield rebuild and highlights the options available to Maresca despite the departures of Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez.

Ndiaye, meanwhile, became the first Senegalese player to represent City and is bound to give opposition defenders with his trickery and pace. No player attempted more dribbles in the match than his eight.

Maresca said: “Enzo and Iliman [played their] first game with us and then Ayyoub and Ryan [McAidoo] their first game in front of our fans.

“That is why I said there are many reasons I am happy about our win. I think they were all good.

“Ili just had two sessions with us. He needs to understand how to move. Most of the time he was moving in the wrong way, wrong position, but he needs to learn and for sure he is going to learn.”

Asked to elaborate on Ndiaye’s performance, Maresca said: “When Marc Guehi has the ball and he was dropping a lot and we don’t need that.

“We need him in the last third so he can be a little bit more higher. That space was more for Josko Gvardiol.

“It is the same thing in this [other] side. But it is normal and with time they will learn the way we want them to play.”

Manchester City have agreed a deal worth up to £65m to sign Iliman Ndiaye from Everton.

The clubs reached an agreement on a deal worth a guaranteed £60m plus a further £5m in add-ons for the Senegal winger.

The news comes after Tottenham agreed deals with Everton on Friday night for Ndiaye to join the London club, with Richarlison moving the other way in a separate transfer.

However, sources are indicating Richarlison failed to agree personal terms with former club Everton, who are understood to have made a £35m offer for the Brazil forward.

As a result, Tottenham have been unable to proceed with the Ndiaye transfer.

In an emotional statement on Instagram on Monday, Richarlison said: “After everything I’ve been through in the last few years, I’ve decided that never again will anyone decide my future for me.

“If they reach an agreement between Spurs and Everton, I will return to my beloved club.

“My intention was to go back to the place where I was very happy, yes, but the negotiations happened only in the way certain people wanted, and it will no longer be like that.

“Despite all this turmoil, I am under contract at Spurs and will remain at the club’s disposal.”

Tottenham are now in talks to sign Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk on a season-long loan.

Manchester City’s deal for Ndiaye comes after an £80m move for Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo looked set to collapse on Monday.

City had opened talks with Liverpool over a deal for the Netherlands international, with the Reds willing to sell Gakpo, providing they could sign a replacement.

Liverpool completed the signing of France forward Bradley Barcola from Paris St-Germain for a fee worth up to £123m on Monday, but want another attacking player if Gakpo were to leave.

The Anfield club had targeted moves for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr but the valuation of both players has proved problematic.

Liverpool are now expected to keep Gakpo, 27, unless they are able to revive a deal for a new winger before Tuesday’s deadline.

Richarlison is one of three players who De Zerbi says have asked to leave Tottenham.

He, Kevin Danso and Pape Matar Sarr have all been linked with moves away from Spurs and none were included in De Zerbi’s match squad as Tottenham lost 2-0 at home to Newcastle on Saturday.

Asked about their status after the loss, De Zerbi said: “Richarlison, I don’t know. He said too many times he wants to leave.

“Danso came to me two days ago and he said wants to leave and Pape Sarr the same, but he suffered a small injury, but he is almost ready to train.

“I have very good relationships but if they want to leave, they have to bring the solution, the economic solution, to the club, and they can go.”

Spurs have spent more than £300m this summer in an effort to restore their competitive edge following back-to-back 17th-place Premier League finishes.

But Tottenham are bottom of the table, having lost their first two games to Brentford and Newcastle and failing to score a goal.

With 11 goals, Richarlison was Tottenham’s top scorer last season and a key figure during their struggle for Premier League survival, which was secured on the final day.

Earlier in August, De Zerbi said that the Brazilian was uncertain about his future, noting that “it’s not easy to find another striker like Richarlison”.

Last week, Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush joined Spurs on loan and he replaced Richarlison in De Zerbi’s starting XI against Newcastle.

Danso’s first-team opportunities may be limited this season as Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke arrive to challenge for his place in central defence, where Micky van de Ven’s spot was secured by the signing of a new contract and the award of the captaincy.

Sunderland made an offer to take Danso, who has 36 Austria caps, on a season-long loan – but Spurs rejected it.

In midfield, Sarr’s chance to play has been impacted by the arrivals of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali early in the window, as Tottenham kicked off their a statement summer of transfers by breaking their club record fee twice in one week.

The Senegal international, 23, has attracted interest from a number of clubs, including several in the Premier League and Turkish side Besiktas.

However, Juventus are understood to be confident of winning the race for his signature on a loan deal that includes a conditional obligation to buy.