Arsenal eye 'Brilliant' Iliman Ndiaye after Guimaraes signing

In the wake of a £75 million fixed‑fee deal for Bruno Guimaraes, Arsenal have turned their focus to a new target – Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye, described by the Gunners as a ‘brilliant’ option for the left side in the upcoming transfer window.

Arsenal confirmed the £75 million fixed fee for Guimaraes, meeting Newcastle in the middle to secure an elite number eight. Sporting director Andra Berta said, “We are delighted to welcome Bruno Guimaraes to our club. He combines quality with quantity and will strengthen the heart of our team.” The signing addresses Mikel Arteta’s need for a box‑to‑box midfielder.

Arteta also highlighted the need for an elite left‑winger. Leandro Trossard, who has since left, performed well on the left last season, while Gabriel Martinelli also contributed, but the Gunners require more firepower to compete with the world’s best clubs.

Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye brings Premier League experience, having scored six goals and provided three assists last season and netted nine times from wide positions the campaign before. Everton boss David Moyes praised his versatility, stating, “Ili has hugely impressed me with how he’s played. He’s gone from the left side to the right side. He can play either side.”

Arsenal move for this talented midfielder should Arteta snap him

Reports suggest Everton could ask as much as £100 million for Ndiaye, a figure cheaper than the estimated £130 million or more for Julian Alvarez, Bradley Barcola, or Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, who remain conditional targets. The Gunners see Ndiaye as a more cost‑effective alternative despite him being less proven at the very top level.

At present, Arsenal are the only club reported to have formally considered Ndiaye, and the interest has not spread beyond the North London side. The club is expected to ramp up its winger search now that Guimaraes has arrived.

REUTERS/Phil Noble via Action Images By  Jamie Kemble Published Aug 8, 2026, 12:19 PM GMT+1. Jamie is a Welsh football journalist based in Valencia, Spain. He studied journalism at the University of South Wales and published a football book, named Bluebird Heaven, around the same time with Pitch Publishing. Since then, Jamie has continued to specialise in football journalism, PR and football‑related Spanish translation. He has worked with a number of media companies, including Reach PCL, Iconic Group and many more over a decade‑long career. Readers are invited to Add Us on GiveMeSport to follow further updates.

The pursuit of Ndiaye underscores Arsenal’s ambition to deepen squad quality and maintain the standards required to win major trophies, signalling a proactive approach in the current transfer window.