There is uncertainty once again at Everton, but David Moyes and his side continue to rail against outside noise by producing results in the Premier League.
A four-goal draw at Hull City on Sunday afternoon might not have been the perfect result, securing a fourth draw in five matches, but it has maintained an unbeaten start to the league campaign, bumping the Toffees up to fifth in the standings.
This spate of draws does draw attention to Everton’s blunt attacking edge. They are not quite there in attack, and the sale of Iliman Ndiaye is a big part in that.
Why Ndiaye is proving such a big miss for Everton
Ndiaye joined Manchester City in a £65m deal this summer, ending two years on Merseyside which has cemented cult status for the club.
The Senegal winger might have only scored 17 goals across 74 appearances, but he was skilful and mercurial, hailed as “one of the best players to watch in the Premier League“, in the view of sports writer James Nalton.
Now, at Man City, Ndiaye is chasing a dream. Whether that will collapse if and when the Citizens are thrown into the wastebasket given the charges that are levelled against them remains to be seen, but for Everton, the frustration that they have lost their talismanic attacker without replacing him will remain throughout the campaign.
Brennan Johnson is the only new addition on the right flank, and he has flattered to deceive so far. Ndiaye might only have scored six goals in the Premier League, but his underlying data speaks toward his unique and elite ability.
He won six duels and completed 2.3 dribbles per game on average. That kind of relentlessness on the ball is hard to replicate.
However, Moyes and his side need try.
How Everton can replace Ndiaye
Thus far, Moyes has preferred Johnson on the right side of his Everton attack. However, the Toffees are hardly getting bang for their buck.
The Scotsman is going to need to start looking for different ways to cover the Ndiaye-shaped hole at Everton.
Tyrique George and Tyler Dibling are both waiting in the wings, but the manager is hesitant to hand them starting berths in the Premier League.
Of course, there is a reason behind this. Johnson offers a comparative level of defensive support, and George and Dibling are young and raw in that regard, somewhat trigger-happy when presented with an opportunity.
Ndiaye offered the best of both worlds. Not only effective on the ball, surging forward, but he also won over two tackles per Premier League game in 2025/26.
It’s clear that Everton will need to find a new right-sided attacker in the long term, but while a signing will likely be made in 2027, Moyes will be starting to take note of an academy talent who might just be the perfect long-term Ndiaye successor.
Everton have already found a homegrown Ndiaye
Ndiaye isn’t coming back. However, Everton do need to move on, and it’s clear that they don’t have all the parts to do that right now.
However, Moyes could find Everton’s next Ndiaye in the form of 16-year-old attacker Jonathan Nsangou, who has already scored ten goals in all competitions this season.
A recent hat-trick in the recent 4-1 win over Bournemouth U18s – Nsangou’s second of the season – has emphasised his potential as an elite goalscorer in the Premier League, shifting between centre-forward and the right flank.
Don’t expect Nsangou to make his first-team debut any time soon. But this does not diminish his quality or potential. He made his U21s debut last year, but given his youth, is best served at a lower level as he continues to build up his athletic and physical qualities.
Nonetheless, the teenage attacker is already showing off the kind of natural speed and fleet-footedness when dribbling forward that could prove a game-changer for Everton. It could hand the club a homegrown version of Ndiaye, allowing them to invest in other areas when looking at the bigger picture.
Nsangou is one of the most exciting attacking prospects Everton have had in years. He obviously has a long road in front of him before reaching his desired destination: Moyes’ first team.
But the talent is there, and he’s doing all the right things in the U18 Premier League. His directness and skill on the ball could set him up to be the next Ndiaye at the Hill Dickinson.