Everton extended their unbeaten streak in the Premier League to five matches, all thanks to Beto’s last-gasp equaliser against Fulham last weekend, cancelling out Alex Iwobi’s strike.
It was a much-needed goal for the Guinea-Bissau international, his fourth in 35 top-flight appearances since joining Everton from Udinese for a £26m fee in August 2023.
While Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fitness has held up for Sean Dyche’s outfit so far this term, he’s failed to clinch a goal contribution across his past five outings, and firepower is not exactly in abundant supply at Goodison Park.
That said, the Toffees have found some exciting new attacking options lately, with none more potent than Iliman Ndiaye, whose barnstorming efforts could keep Everton away from the dreaded dotted line.
Iliman Ndiaye's impact at Everton
Everton signed Marseille’s Ndiaye this summer in a deal worth around £15m, having helped the French club reach the Europa League semi-finals but failed to hit his stride clinically, posting just four goals and five assists across 46 appearances.
The 24-year-old, who rose from youth with Sheffield United, is an impressive ball carrier with a flashiness that has given rise to renewed excitement on the blue half of Merseyside.
Dynamic and tactically adaptable, Ndiaye ranks among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League this season for pass completion (82%), the top 5% for successful take-ons (2.34) and the top 2% for interceptions made (1.37) per 90, as per FBref.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
Moreover, he’s not quite his the height of his prolific potential at Everton, but it bodes well that he’s already posted three goals this term, having played only 11 matches.
All told, Dyche has got himself the perfect wideman whose tricks and skills, goals and purchase in the final third, can make a marked difference on Everton’s campaign.
Anthony Gordon forced his way out before he grew into his skin as a Toffee, but his departure matters not with Nidiaye in the side. He’s “got everything you want”, according to Everton writer Ell Bretland.
Having cut his teeth in the Championship with Sheffield United, Ndiaye has proven the value in digging deeper into English football when searching for exciting new stars. Everton must now repeat the feat with a more direct transfer assault on the EFL.
Everton eyeing EFL star
Everton have made headway in recent weeks, but still need to bring more out of their attacking line if they are to ensconce themselves away from the bottom three and the pull of the relegation battle, for good.
As such, they might want to add some thrilling quality to their flanks, with Westy Bromwich Albion’s Tom Fellows believed to be on the radar, with journalist Alan Nixon confirming as such.
A deal in 2025 would of course be dependent on a much-needed cash injection, which would only materialise if the finalities of the TFG takeover move forward without a hitch.
The 21-year-old has been in fine fettle since settling into the Baggies first team, and former West Brom star Carlton Palmer has remarked that his one-time outfit “hold all the cards”, with Fellows’ contract running until 2027.
Why Tom Fellows would be the perfect fit
Everton would secure a significant signing, should they get Fellows over the line. The Baggies talent was only inculcated into Carlos Corberan’s first team last season, having spent the 2022/23 campaign in League Two as a loanee at Crawley Town.
A versatile winger, Fellows spent the first ten matchweeks of the 2023/24 Championship season as an unused substitute, though grew in stature across the year, starting 14 times over the second half of the campaign.
Praised for his “perfect” passing by West Brom correspondent Lewis Cox, Fellows’ efforts toward the end of last year have seen him become a regular over the past several months, with his pace and potency suggesting that he could indeed find a home in Everton’s senior-set up.
Stepping into the Premier League is a big and daunting task, but the winger has earned a reputation for his creativity and this could be perfect for Dyche’s outfit, with five assists placed in the Championship this year despite only starting ten fixtures so far.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 3% of positional peers in England’s second tier for assists (0.57), the top 9% for pass completion (79%) and the top 17% for progressive carries (4.59) per 90, speaking of a playmaking quality, ball-carrying expertise and crispness in his distribution that offers shades of Ndiaye.
Matches (starts)
9 (7)
12 (10)
Goals
2
0
Assists
0
5
Shots (on target)*
0.9 (0.6)
1.3 (0.3)
Pass completion
83%
87%
Big chances created
1
5
Key passes*
0.6
1.3
Dribbles*
1.9
0.9
Ball recoveries*
6.0
1.0
Total duels won*
5.1
2.9
Acknowledging Fellows’ underlying metrics, it’s clear that he has much to do before he is a player on the same level as Ndiaye, but there’s no question that his raw potential points toward something special, and Everton must ensure that they start the new era with his acquisition.
The best part is that he’s principally found on the right side of the frontline, meaning that he and Ndiaye could work in tandem as they supplement the likes of Calvert-Lewin, Beto and Armando Broja. Whoever occupies number nine, they’ll find ample support from this dynamic and electric-paced duo.
While transfer figures have not yet entered circulation, Everton will need to fight tooth and nail to prise this prospect away from the Hawthorns, but it sure would be worth it.
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