Better than Ndiaye: £20m Premier League star is now Everton’s number 1 target

Everton have undoubtedly pulled themselves clear of the troubled days endured under Farhad Moshiri, but they are still massively struggling for one thing under the Friedkin Group – consistency.

At times during the 2025/26 campaign, David Moyes’ men looked as though they could compete with the Premier League’s best – as seen in the 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

However, those performances were few and far between, as the Toffees stumbled over the finishing line with a run of seven games without a win at the back end of the season.

As a result, the club missed out on a place in Europe and subsequently ended the campaign in a measly 13th position – highlighting the need for added reinforcements this summer.

The ongoing window presents the perfect opportunity for the hierarchy to splash the cash and provide the manager with added quality in key areas of the squad.

Everton prepare bid to sign attacking talent this summer

Over the last couple of weeks, Everton have started to ramp up their transfer business, subsequently targeting numerous proven Premier League attacking stars.

Departing Fulham star Harry Wilson has emerged as a key target, with the Welsh international set to depart the Cottagers upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the month.

The 29-year-old is also said to be on the radar of the likes of Aston Villa and Leeds United, but no preference has yet been given as to which club the player wants to join at present.

Wilson isn’t the only attacking option to appear on the Toffees’ shortlist as of late, with West Ham United winger Jarrod Bowen another player being considered.

According to Alan Nixon, Everton are preparing a £20m bid for the English star after he suffered relegation from the Premier League at the back end of last season.

His report also states that the 29-year-old has appeared as Moyes’ number one transfer target this window after previously managing the attacker at the London Stadium.

However, it’s currently unclear if the Hammers would be open to offloading their club captain this window and would undoubtedly demand a bigger fee than what Everton are set to offer.

Why Bowen would be better than Ndiaye for Everton

Everton’s lack of consistency this season undoubtedly cost them a place in Europe, but that’s not to say players like Iliman Ndiaye didn’t catch the eye throughout 2025/26.

The Senegalese international ended the recent campaign on six goals and three assists – with only Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Beto registering more combined goals and assists.

His wonder strike against Chelsea back in March was undoubtedly the highlight of his season, but the 26-year-old also netted the club’s first goal at the Hill Dickinson against Brighton in August.

Ndiaye was also guilty of showing his inconsistency in the Premier League, as he failed to register a goal or assist in any of the final seven games – contributing to the Toffees’ inability to secure a win.

There’s no denying he’s one of Moyes’ most important players at present, but a move for Bowen could see the Englishman become the club’s new talisman.

Whilst he suffered relegation with West Ham last season, it didn’t stop the 29-year-old from catching the eye with his mind-boggling numbers within attacking areas.

Bowen ended the season with nine goals and 11 assists, with his tally of 20 combined goal contributions over two times more than Ndiaye could muster.

The Hammers star’s dominance over the Senegalese winger is further reflected in his underlying stats – which could hand Everton the added star quality they’re hunting for this summer.

Bowen, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Ian Wright, managed to create 0.4 big chances per 90 whilst also achieving an 18% cross completion rate in the Premier League.

The former of the aforementioned stats ranks him in the top 15% of attackers in Europe, whilst both are higher than the numbers produced by the current Toffees winger.

Such numbers highlight the Englishman’s talent in attacking areas of the pitch, which could hand Everton the talent needed to achieve consistency and success next term.

The West Ham star also managed to win more fouls, whilst registering more shots on target per 90 – reaffirming his dominance over Ndiaye within the final third.

£20m for a player of Bowen’s quality would be an excellent piece of business for Moyes’ men and one that could offer the perfect right-winger needed to fit the manager’s system.

Whilst he would likely star alongside Ndiaye on Merseyside, the 26-year-old would more than likely have to hand over the responsibility of being the club’s main talisman to the current transfer target.