Tottenham step up interest in £80m Everton star Illiman Ndiaye as Arsenal and Man City also battle for winger

Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as the latest Premier League heavyweight to register their interest in Everton’s Ndiaye. The North London side has been incredibly active during the current transfer window, already sanctioning a spend that exceeds £300 million to reshape the squad under De Zerbi.

Despite the recent arrivals of Omar Marmoush and Savio from Manchester City, the Italian tactician remains determined to secure one more high-quality wide attacker to complete his offensive unit before the deadline. While Spurs had been heavily linked with Cody Gakpo, the focus has shifted toward the Senegal international who has become one of the most exciting talents at Goodison Park - Per Foot Mercato.

The interest from Spurs sets up a fascinating three-way battle with Manchester City and Arsenal, both of whom have been monitoring the 26-year-old’s situation closely.

Speaking about his side’s transfer plans on Friday, De Zerbi said: "I didn’t expect a transfer window like we have done. I think we can do one player more in one specific position. Yesterday we went to dinner with the owners, Johan [Lange, sporting director] and Vinai [Venkatesham, chief executive] and we spoke about this. All of us are on the same page and a very good connection."

This public admission confirms that Tottenham are not finished in the market despite their record-breaking expenditure so far.

Ndiaye’s future has been the subject of intense speculation throughout the summer months. The Senegalese international appeared destined for a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League earlier in the window, with reports suggesting a move to Al-Hilal was nearly finalised before a dramatic U-turn by the player.

His desire to remain in the Premier League has invited interest from the league's elite, with Manchester City viewing him as a potential replacement for departed squad members.

Despite the growing list of admirers, Everton are in a strong negotiating position and have no intention of letting their prized asset leave for a bargain fee. The Toffees are understood to have placed a staggering £80m valuation on the Senegal star, a figure intended to ward off all but the most serious suitors.

With Ndiaye currently under contract on Merseyside until the summer of 2029, the club is under no immediate pressure to sell, even though the player recently rejected the offer of a new contract.

Asked about interest in Ndiaye, Everton boss David Moyes said on Friday: "We’re certainly not in a hurry to sell our best players, that’s for sure. As far as I know, we’ve got nothing to be concerned about, we’ve had no contact from any club. Somebody told me we had contact with Al-Hilal during the summer, we had nothing from them."