Al Hilal have reached a personal agreement with Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye over a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, but still need to persuade the Premier League club to sanction the transfer.
The Senegal international has given his approval to the conditions of a proposed contract with the Riyadh side, according to journalist Ekrem Konur. Ndiaye is understood to have been offered a weekly salary of €316,000, around £270,000, underlining the scale of Al Hilal’s financial push to secure his signature.
That breakthrough with the player marks a significant step in the negotiations, yet it does not guarantee that a deal will be completed, with Everton continuing to hold a hard line over their valuation.
Everton demand more than €80m
Talks between Al Hilal and Everton are ongoing, and the Merseyside club are reported to be reluctant to lose the attacker after tying him to a long-term contract.
Africafoot reports that Everton are demanding in excess of €80m to consider allowing Ndiaye to leave. That asking price has emerged as the major obstacle between the clubs and is complicating efforts to find an agreement.
Despite Al Hilal’s desire to move swiftly and the fact they have already secured Ndiaye’s consent on personal terms, the transfer remains far from completion. The next round of negotiations between the Saudi club’s hierarchy and Everton’s board is expected to be crucial in determining whether a deal can be struck before the transfer window closes.
Long-term Everton deal and market value
Ndiaye is currently under contract at Goodison Park until 2029, a situation that strengthens Everton’s position as they seek to maximise any potential fee.
The forward is reported to earn an annual salary of €2,795,582 with the Toffees, equivalent to 1,817,128,300 CFA francs. His market valuation on the specialist website Transfermarkt is listed at €55m, notably below the more than €80m figure Everton are said to be demanding from Al Hilal.
For now, Al Hilal’s pursuit of Ndiaye remains at an impasse: they have the player’s agreement but must decide whether to meet Everton’s substantial valuation or risk seeing one of their headline transfer targets slip away before the deadline.
