Can Everton afford to lose influential Ndiaye?

[Getty Images] If Everton were to sell star forward Iliman Ndiaye to Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, they would likely receive a significant financial windfall. Nevertheless, replacing him would be a major challenge. The Senegal international may have chipped in with a modest six goals — two of which were penalties — and three assists in the Premier League last season. But Ndiaye offers so much in his all-round game. For Everton last season, he attempted 136 dribbles and completed 73, 77 and 46 more than any other player in the squad, respectively. Perhaps unsurprisingly, his total of 147 take-ons attempted also topped all Toffees players last season. There's a feistiness to match Ndiaye's flair too. He also contested more duels than any of his Everton team-mates, with 409, and won the ball back in the final third more than any Everton player, with 26 recoveries. In many of the same categories, Ndiaye also ranks highly among all Premier League forwards. [BBC Sport] If he was to move on, then Everton would have a lot to replace. There are gaping holes in the squad that need addressing, most notably at right-back and in central midfield. The money from Ndiaye's sale, if invested smartly, could help the Blues start the 2026-27 season with a more balanced squad. The issue for Everton lately has been spending well. Since the return of David Moyes in January 2025 and the implementation of a new recruitment team, only Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has been an undisputed success in terms of transfer arrivals. The jury remains out on Thierno Barry after eight goals in his first season for the club, while Jack Grealish suffered a season-ending injury in January that meant he only started 18 top-flight matches while on loan. Last summer, the Blues also sanctioned deals for Tyler Dibling, Merlin Rohl, Charly Alcaraz and Adam Aznou. That quartet made 16 Premier League starts between them, with Aznou still yet to play a single minute in the top flight.