حسم جناح منتخب البرازيل الأول، رافينها، قراره بشأن مواصلة مشواره مع نادي برشلونة، مع انتهاء عقده في قلعة “كامب نو” في 30 يونيو 2027.
وتألق رافينها هذا الموسم تحت قيادة المدرب، هانز فليك، مما جعله مرشحًا غير عادي للمنافسة على جائزة الكرة الذهبية بسبب أرقامه في جميع البطولات.
اقرأ أيضًا.. أنشيلوتي يستهزئ بـ برشلونة للهروب من الحديث عن مستقبله مع ريال مدريد
وقال رافينها في تصريحات لشبكة “Movistar+” الإسبانية قبل مباراة الكلاسيكو أمام ريال مدريد: “ما الذي تريد فعله في الفترة القادمة مع برشلونة؟ تجديد عقدي”.
وتابع: “التفكير في الوصول إلى قمة كرة القدم بدون برشلونة أمر غير منطقي، بصراحة، أنا أستمتع كثيرًا هنا، لم أحلم أبدًا أنني سأعيش هذا”.
وأضاف: “لا أستطيع تخيل برشلونة بدون رافينها، أعمل بجد لأقدم أفضل ما لدي، أعتقد أنني أؤدي بشكل جيد وآمل أن أواصل على هذا النحو”.
وتحدث رافينها عن أجواء الكلاسيكو، قائلًا: “يُعد بمثابة نهائي، إنه نوع مختلف من المباريات، أجواء خاصة ومميزة، المدينة كلها تتوقف، العالم كله يشاهده”.
واستمر: “حتى لحظة دخولك إلى الملعب، كل شيء يكون متوترًا قبل الكلاسيكو، التوتر موجود في كل مباراة، لكن هنا يكون أكثر شدة”.
وأشار اللاعب إلى أهمية المباراة في سباق الدوري الإسباني: “نحن نقاتل على الدوري الإسباني، ولا يوجد فريق أفضل أو أسوأ، أعتقد أننا مستعدون جيدًا وسنحقق نتيجة رائعة”.
وواصل تصريحاته: “اللعب والتسجيل في الكلاسيكو أمر خاص بالنسبة لي، لكن الأهم هو الفوز، سواء سجلت أم لا، الفوز هو ما يهم”.
كما أثنى رافينها على زميله ليفاندوفسكي، قائلًا: “منذ أن وصلت، تحدثت كثيرًا مع روبرت، من المذهل ما يفعله في هذا العمر، علينا أن نستفيد من خبرة من سبقونا”.
وتحدث أيضًا عن منحه شارة القيادة في بعض المباريات: “شعرت بحماس كبير عندما أخبرني المدرب أنني سأكون أحد القادة، لأني بصراحة لم أكن أتوقع ذلك”.
وتابع: “أحاول تطبيق ما تعلمته طوال مسيرتي الكروية لأقدم أفضل النصائح للاعبين الشباب، خاصة لامين يامال”.
وعن هانز فليك: “سأظل ممتنًا له إلى الأبد، لقد غير مسيرتي بالكامل، كان يريد أن يراني أتدرب قبل أن يتخذ أي قرار بشأن مستقبلي، لقد وضعني ضمن خططه بالفريق، لولاه ربما كنت في نادٍ آخر وليس في برشلونة الآن”.
واختتم النجم البرازيلي تصريحاته بالحديث عن مواطنه نيمار: “سعيد لأنني وصلت لأفضل أرقام نيمار مع برشلونة في أوروبا، آمل أن أواصل التسجيل وأحقق ما حققه هو بقميص هذا النادي”.
وأتم تصريحاته: “أتحدث كثيرًا مع نيمار، وأستفيد من نصائحه في أمور عديدة”.
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has reflected on his relationship with club legend Lionel Messi and admitted they didn't always get on.
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Messi and Ter Stegen shared dressing room for seven yearsBarcelona duo didn't always see eye-to-eyeGerman international shed light on their relationshipFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Ter Stegen has revealed that he and Messi "annoyed" each other after experiencing several "bad moments" following the German goalkeeper's arrival in 2014 until the Argentine left the club in 2021.
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Ter Stegen arrived at the Camp Nou ahead of the 2014-15 season and won the treble in his debut campaign, making crucial contributions to the team's Champions League glory. While that was the last time Barcelona would taste continental success, they dominated domestically, winning four La Liga titles before Messi left the club for free in 2021. Although Ter Stegen and Messi experienced a lot of highs on the pitch, they didn't exactly enjoy a cordial relationship off of it.
WHAT MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN SAID
In an interview with (h/t SPORT), Ter Stegen was asked about his favourite moment with Messi. "The good moments or the bad moments? [laughs] We had them all," said the Barca captain.
"Leo is a special character at this level because he is motivated by a lot of things that we don’t see, I think. We’ve had moments where things didn’t work out between us because he was annoyed with me and I was annoyed with him."
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Ter Stegen was asked if he ever attained closure with Messi following his conflicts with the 2022 World Cup winner, to which the goalkeeper replied: "We never argued, as if to say we didn’t get along at all. But we had our moments, and that’s fine.
“We were in the locker room together for a long time, and it was definitely interesting to have him in the team and see how he leads. Whether it’s my style or not, it was interesting to see.
“Leo is not a loudmouth; he works a lot with presence and needs to say relatively little, really. And when he says something, everyone listens. And that’s what you really want to achieve as a captain: to be listened to and followed.”
Celtic have now made an enquiry about signing an “outstanding” Premier League player who wants to leave in January, according to a report.
Rodgers keen on a midfielder
Brendan Rodgers has set his sights on a new midfielder this January, and there are indications that there could be more than one new arrival, with claims suggesting a potential double signing could even be in the works.
The Hoops are now expected to push for Chelsea duo Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carney Chukwuemeka, who have both found game time difficult to come by at Stamford Bridge so far this season.
With Rodgers looking for a potential long-term replacement for Callum McGregor, there have been reports that Celtic could also look to sign Ajax’s Benjamin Tahirović, with the Bosnian also struggling to force his way into his manager’s plans.
Fixture
Date
St. Johnstone (h)
December 29th
Rangers (a)
January 2nd
St Mirren (h)
January 5th
Dundee United (h)
January 8th
Ross County (a)
January 11th
Rodgers clearly has a number of options in mind ahead of the rapidly approaching January transfer window, and there are now indications that some groundwork has been done in pursuit of another target.
According to a report from The Boot Room, Celtic have made an enquiry over Manchester City’s James McAtee – and he looks like he could be on the move this winter.
The City midfielder wants to leave in January, having been unable to impress Pep Guardiola so far this season, with game time proving difficult to come by.
The Premier League outfit would rather not lose McAtee this January, but it has been claimed that Guardiola would not stand in the way of any player who wants to leave, meaning a January move could be possible.
There are a number of clubs from England and across Europe hot on the 22-year-old’s tail, so the Hoops will need to fend off significant interest from elsewhere if they are to get a deal over the line.
Three clubs keen on unhappy Celtic player who could now leave in January
He’s found minutes hard to come by at Celtic Park this season.
ByBarney Lane Dec 28, 2024 McAtee could go right to the top
Although the Salford-born midfielder has been unable to make a name for himself at City, his potential was on show for all to see during his two loan spells with English Championship side Sheffield United.
During the Blades’ promotion-winning campaign in 2022/23, the Englishman scored nine goals in 37 Championship games, showcasing his talent going forward.
Manchester City's JamesMcAteeduring the warm up before the match
Clinton Morrison was full of praise for the “outstanding” young midfielder during his time in Sheffield, while Leam Richardson stated he could go all the way to the top:
Previous reports have alleged that McAtee could cost £20m, which could prove to be a stumbling block for Celtic, but it is promising news that initial contact has now been made over a deal.
Embora a primeira partida válida pela final do Paulista, o São Paulo tenha contado com o fator Morumbi, no jogo de volta, a disputa contra o Palmeiras será no Allianz Parque, neste domingo, duelo que pode garantir ao Tricolor mais um caneco em sua sala de troféus.
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O Tricolor paulista conta com uma invencibilidade que vem desde os últimos jogos da equipe disputados fora de casa.
Desde a vitória por 2 a 1, contra a Ponte Preta, no Estádio Moisés Lucarelli, o São Paulo seguiu sem saber o que é derrota fora do Morumbi. A segunda vitória consecutiva foi contra o Santos, na Vila Belmiro, por 2 a 1. Pouco tempo depois, o Tricolor foi a campo contra o Campinense, pela Copa do Brasil, no Amigão. Embora não tenha vencido, empatou por 0 a 0.
Em sequência, jogou com o Água Santa na Arena Inamar, e fechou com uma vitória de 2 a 1. Por fim, o último jogo fora de casa foi contra o Mirassol, no Campos Maia, onde venceu por 3 a 0. A última derrota fora de casa do Tricolor foi no dia 2 de fevereiro contra o Red Bull Bragantino.
Assim, o São Paulo mantém um bom retrospecto em partidas fora de casa, o que é algo bom pensando no jogo de domingo (3). A equipe enfrentará o Palmeiras no Allianz Parque, às 16h.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers endured a busy summer transfer window at Parkhead for the second year in succession, since his return to Glasgow.
After replacing Ange Postecoglou in the dugout in 2023, the Northern Irish head coach had to deal with Jota and Carl Starfelt moving on, to Al Ittihad and Celta Vigo respectively, as well as Aaron Mooy deciding to retire.
The board did back him with a host of new signings, though, including the likes of Luis Palma, Paulo Bernardo, Maik Nawrocki, and Hyun-jun Yang, among others.
Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah were also brought in during the January transfer window to bolster the attack, and the former has registered 12 goals and 13 assists in 34 games for Celtic to date.
This summer, Rodgers was dealt another blow as attacking midfielder Matt O’Riley was sold to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, where he scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Manchester City down south on Saturday.
It was a big blow to lose the Denmark international from the squad during the summer transfer window, because of his form for the club in the 2023/24 campaign.
Matt O'Riley's form for Celtic last season
After Postecoglou moved on from Parkhead, Rodgers came in and helped O’Riley to find his best form at the top end of the pitch from a central midfield position.
In the 2022/23 campaign under the Australian boss, the Danish wizard only found the back of the net three times in 38 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, which shows that he was not a reliable scorer for the Hoops.
Rodgers found a way, with his 4-3-3 system, to get the left-footed ace more involved in the game in the final third, with O’Riley going from 1.8 shots per game to 2.9 shots per game in the Premiership.
The 23-year-old magician ended the 2023/24 campaign with a staggering return of 18 goals in 37 appearances in the division, 15 more than he managed in the previous season.
This shows that the Northern Irish boss unearthed a superstar by unlocking the midfielder’s goalscoring potential, whilst O’Riley also provided the team with 13 assists in the Premiership.
23/24 Premiership
Matt O’Riley
Squad rank
Sofascore rating
7.91
1st
Goals
18
1st
Assists
13
1st
Big chances created
14
1st
Key passes per game
2.5
1st
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international was the star of the show for the Scottish giants in the top-flight last season under Rodgers, with his ability to score goals, assist his teammates, and create high-quality opportunities.
Celtic got incredible value for money out of the central midfielder, who was sold to Brighton for more than £25m this summer, when you consider that he reportedly was only on £14k-per-week, the 14th-highest in the squad.
However, his performances whilst earning £14k-per-week also shined a light on how much of a blunder the signing of Gustaf Lagerbielke was for the Hoops.
How much Celtic paid for Gustaf Lagerbielke
In the summer of 2023, during Rodgers’ first transfer window back at the club, the Celtic head coach dipped into the market to bolster his options at the heart of the defence, following the departure of Starfelt to LaLiga.
Maik Nawrocki was brought in from Legia Warsaw and the club also swooped to sign Lagerbielke from Swedish side Elfsborg for a reported fee of £3m, as well as signing him to a wage of £14k-per-week – as much as O’Riley last season.
Celtic defenderGustaf Lagerbielke.
The young, right-footed, centre-back was brought in to compete for a starting position alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers at the back for the Hoops, after Starfelt’s exit left a hole on the left side of the defence.
In the 2022/23 campaign under Postecoglou, the now-Celta Vigo star made 28 appearances in the Premiership and won 67% of his duels and completed 92% of his passes for the Scottish giants.
2023 Allsvenskan
Gustaf Lagerbielke
Appearances
16
Pass accuracy
81%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.6
Ground duel success rate
53%
Aerial duel success rate
64%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Lagerbielke had made 16 appearances in the Swedish top-flight in 2023 before his move to Celtic but had matched Starfelt’s showings for Celtic.
The Swedish titan won a lower percentage of his duels in comparison to the former Hoops colossus and completed a much lower percentage of his attempted passes.
Celtic's Gustaf Lagerbielke blunder
The 24-year-old flop failed to convince Rodgers that he had the quality or consistency to play week-in-week-out for Celtic in the Premiership last season.
He ended the 2023/24 campaign with seven appearances and four starts in the Premiership, as Stephen Welsh, Nawrocki, Liam Scales, and Carter-Vickers all played more games in the division at centre-back.
Celtic defenderGustaf Lagerbielke.
This shows that Lagerbielke was the fifth-choice option out of the manager’s central defenders, which may not be what the aim for him was when the club decided to spend £3m and £14k-per-week in wages on him.
Celtic’s best player, certainly from an attacking perspective, earned £14k-per-week but the Hoops did not get anywhere near the same value from the central defender for the same price.
In the 2023/24 season, Lagerbielke, who was sent off against Feyenoord in the Champions League, made ten appearances and started six times in all competitions for the club, having cost £3.7m in transfer fees and wages – over £600k per start, which is why he has been a flop.
Celtic defender Gustaf Lagerbielke.
He was then sent out on loan to FC Twente in the Eredivise by Rodgers, who brought in Auston Trusty from Sheffield United on a permanent deal this summer, ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
This showed that the manager did not trust him to be an option for him in the first-team this term, whilst the addition of Trusty is potentially an admission that the Swedish flop does not have a future at Parkhead – as he has already been replaced.
Lagerbielke is yet to start a league game for Twente, coming off the bench three times so far, and it currently looks unlikely that Celtic will make much of the £3.7m they have spent on him so far back, which means that the club have messed up and had a howler with the defender.
Celtic have a star with "world-class" potential and he's their next Kuhn
The Celtic attacker has yet to showcase the best of his abilities in Scotland.
No primeiro jogo de Vítor Pereira como técnico do Corinthians na Neo Química Arena, a Fiel Torcida registrou o melhor público do ano no estádio. Foram 39.488 torcedores acompanhando a goleada corintiana por 5 a 0 sobre a Ponte Preta, pela 11ª rodada do Paulistão, na primeira vez na temporada em que o estádio pode ter a sua capacidade preenchida em todos os setores, em meio a autorização do governo estadual de São Paulo.
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O treinador português ficou encantando com o espírito corintiano nas arquibancadas da Arena, que, segundo o profissional, impulsinou os jogadores atuaram em cima dos adversários durante quase toda a partida.
> TABELA – Confira e simule os jogos do Timão no Campeonato Paulista > GALERIA – Veja todos os técnicos estrangeiro da história corintiana
– Jogar nesse estádio eu, sinceramente, senti um ambiente quase que mágico, de apoio total, que nos empurra para frente, nos ajuda. É maravilhoso! O calor que precisamos. Hoje tivemos períodos de muito bom futebol, do ponto de vista ofensivo e defensivo. Evidentemente que não conseguimos jogar os 90 minutos da mesma forma, mas o que eu mais gostei foi a intenção de fazer as coias dentro do que trabalhamos no dia a dia – destacou VP em entrevista coletiva após o triunfo contra a Macaca.
No entanto, Vítor deixou claro que todo o grupo corintiano precisará fazer por merecer o apoio da Fiel.
– (A Fiel) Nos apoia, empurra para frente, parece que nos transmite energia do início ao fim. Temos que fazer por merecer o apoio, pelo jogador, por nós, unidos, como família, nos recuperar. Essse ambiente de superação que eu senti. Muito obrigado a nossa torcida, e espero que continue nos apoiando – afirmou o português.
O Corinthians voltará a Neo Química Arena somente nas quartas de final do Campeonato Paulista, ainda sem data e adversário definido. Com a pontuação atual, o Timão já garantiu a sua liderança no grupo A e a vantagem de jogar a próxima fase em casa. Agora, o Timão aguarda Água Santa, Guarani ou Inter de Limeira como oponente.
Antes disso, o clube alvinegro terá dois jogos como visitante, nesta quinta-feira (17), às 20h30, contra o Palmeiras, no Allianz Parque, pela sexta rodada do Paulistão, jogo atrasado, porque o Verdão estava em Abu Dhabi para a disputa do Mundial de Clubes, em fevereiro, e diante do Novo Horizontino, no estádio Jorge Ismael de Biazzi, na cidade de Novo Horizonte, pela última rodada da primeira fase do Estadual, no próximo domingo (20).
Depois de perder para o Fluminense, o Vasco vira a chave nesta semana e volta suas atenções para a estreia da Copa do Brasil. Na quarta, o time terá pela frente a Ferroviária, às 21h30, em Araraquara, e mesmo com um empate pode avançar à segunda fase da competição. O duelo será essencial para resgatar a confiança e o equilíbrio do grupo antes de mais um clássico, desta vez contra o Flamengo.
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Na programação divulgada pelo clube, o Cruz-Maltino treina na manhã desta segunda-feira no CT Moacyr Barbosa antes de viajar com destino à Campinas. No dia seguinte, as atividades serão realizadas no CT do Guarani antes do deslocamento para Araraquara na parte da noite.
Ainda não é assinante do Cariocão-2022? Acesse www.cariocaoplay.com.br, preencha o cadastro e ganhe 5% de desconto com o cupom especial do LANCE!: GE-JK-FF-ZSW
O técnico Zé Ricardo deixou claro que o time não terá tempo para se lamentar, já que a semana será intensa. A partida desta quarta é importante não só pelo lado esportivo, como também pelo financeiro, visto que quem avançar irá faturar R$ 1,5 milhão. Vale destacar que os cariocas já receberamR$ 1,27 milhão pela participação nesta primeira fase.
O comandante reforçou que confia nos seus jogadores e que o desempenho aquém do esperado contra o Fluminense não irá afetar o andamento do trabalho. Uma eliminação precoce na Copa do Brasil pode colocar o treinador em uma verdadeira panela de pressão meses antes da estreia na Série B
– Confio muito nos nossos jogadores. Não será uma partida que visivelmente fizemos abaixo do nosso potencial que vai tirar nossa confiança. Confio muito nesse grupo e nesses atletas. Vamos tirar as lições e fazer um grande jogo – disse Zé Ricardo.
+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Carioca
O palco do duelo será o Estádio Fonte Luminosa, em Araraquara, que tem 70 anos de fundação. Os ingressos seguem à venda e estarão valendo os protocolos do Campeonato Paulista. Com isso, os torcedores terão que apresentar o comprovante de vacinação (aplicativo Conect SUS) com duas ou três doses. A torcida do Vasco ficará no setor, e os ingressos custamR$ 30 (R$ 15 meia).
Depois do jogo, o Gigante da Colina permanecerá na cidade e irá treinar no CT da Ferroviária na manhã de quinta-feira. A viagem para o Rio de Janeiro acontece na parte da tarde e na sequência o time se prepara para o clássico contra o Flamengo, no domingo, às 16h, com local a ser definido pela federação carioca.
+Vasco tem um desfalque e duas dúvidas para o clássico contra o Flamengo, no próximo domingo
Mesmo com a vaga já garantida nas semifinais do Carioca, o “Clássico dos Milhões” tem toda uma atmosfera diferente pela grande rivalidade. O jogo não perde peso para o Vasco, que ainda não venceu duelos diretos contra seus rivais na temporada (perdeu para Botafogo e Fluminense).
Um dos principais destaques do CSA em 2021, o meia-atacante Marco Túlio quer intensidade máxima da equipe alagoana nas próximas partidas da temporada. Segundo o jogador, o grupo tem tudo para continuar evoluindo.
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– Estamos nos dedicando ao máximo para melhorarmos nosso desempenho em campo na temporada e para crescermos de produção nestas próximas semanas. O grupo está muito motivado para manter a intensidade nos treinos.
Segundo Túlio, seu desejo é fazer um grande ano no clube.
– Estou muito motivado para essa temporada e lutando para continuar escrevendo a minha história no clube, que é um gigante. Vou me dedicar ao máximo para que 2022 seja um ano perfeito para o clube e para mim também.
أعلن نادي ليفربول عن مواعيد مبارياته ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، في شهر أبريل المقبل، بعد توديع منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.
وأقصى باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي، نظيره ليفربول الإنجليزي من دور الـ16 لدوري أبطال أوروبا، ليلة الأربعاء.
ليفربول يتصدر ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز برصيد 70 نقطة، بفارق 15 نقطة عن آرسنال أقرب ملاحقيه.
ومن المقرر أن يخوض ليفربول 5 مباريات في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز الشهر المقبل، وبعد خروجهم من دوري أبطال أوروبا، تم تأكيد مواعيد انطلاق جميع هذه المباريات.
اقرأ أيضًا | أليسون بعد توديع دوري أبطال أوروبا: كنا بحاجة للحظ.. وليس لدينا وقت للشكوى مواعيد مباريات ليفربول في الدوري الإنجليزي بشهر أبريل
ليفربول وإيفرتون، يوم الأربعاء 2 أبريل (9 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 10 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية).
ليفربول وفولهام، الأحد 6 أبريل (3 عصرًا بتوقيت مصر).
The Everton squad circa 2015 will be a group of players that is fondly remembered by Toffees fans. In an era where they are currently struggling for any kind of form under Sean Dyche, reminiscing over old squads might make the Everton faithful miss players of yesteryear, and the squad almost a decade ago was certainly full of nostalgic players.
That was an era with Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman in their primes, classic fullbacks who are some of the Premier League’s most underrated players. Romleu Lukaku was about to have the season of a lifetime in Blue, and a young Ross Barkley was thriving in midfield.
Another player who was arguably the Toffee’s most exciting attacker in that era was winger Gerard Deulofeu.
Gerard Deulofeu’s stats for Everton
A dynamic, tricky winger, Deulofeu was one of the Toffees’ biggest cult heroes circa 2015. He initially joined the club on loan for the 2013/14 campaign, before spending a year playing in his native Spain for Sevilla on loan from Barcelona, although he was injured for much of that season.
He clearly left a lasting impression on the Toffees, who agreed a deal with Barca in 2015 to re-sign the attacker. They paid £4.3m to bring him back to Goodison Park, signing an initial three-year deal.
He did not see out all three of those seasons, moving to AC Milan on loan for the second half of the 2016/17 campaign, before rejoining Barca in the summer of 2017. However, in that 2015/16 campaign, Deulofeu was electric.
The winger, who has been capped four times by Spain, played 33 times for the Toffees in his first season back at the club, scoring four goals and grabbing an impressive 12 assists. Of those goal involvements, ten came in the Premier League in 26 games, with the winger scoring twice and grabbing eight assists.
Sadly, his Everton career curtailed from there, and the Spaniard did not score again for the Toffees in the following campaign. However, he will no doubt be fondly remembered for his direct nature and crucial goals and assists.
In Dyche’s current squad, there is a similar player to Deulofeu, who Toffees fans will be hoping can have a similar impact and keep them in the Premier League this term. That player is Iliman Ndiaye.
Ndiaye’s season so far
Former Sheffield United attacker Ndiaye was a summer signing by the Toffees. According to BBC Sport, Everton paid French side Olympique Marseille a reported fee of £15m, on a five-year deal.
Everton's Iliman Ndiaye
It has been a poor season for Dyche’s men so far, who find themselves in 16th place on four points, having conceded 15 goals already this campaign; only Wolves have let more in. They got their first win of the season last Saturday against Crystal Palace and a point the week before away to relegation rivals Leicester City.
Ndiaye was a crucial part of the draw against the Foxes, scoring his first league goal for the club to give them an early lead, although they could not hold on for the three points. He also got on the score sheet in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster Rovers.
He is one of only five players to get a goal or assist this season, in what has been a very poor start to the campaign for the Toffees. They have thrown away a 2-0 lead on two separate occasions in the top flight.
Everton most G/A in 2024/25 PL so far
Player
Games
Mins per game
G/A
Dwight McNeil
6
89
5
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
6
84
3
Ashley Young
4
84
2
Iliman Ndiaye
6
66
1
Michael Keane
5
90
1
Stats from Sofascore
Former Everton winger Aaron Lennon, a teammate of Deulofeu back in 2015, was full of praise for the Senegalese winger on talkSPORT last week. He called Ndiaye a “match-winner”, praising Dyche for putting him on the left wing, and explaining that he can strike up a formidable partnership with Dwight McNeil.
While it was McNeil who bailed Dyche out at the weekend after bagging a brilliant brace against the Eagles to seal a first win of the campaign, it is Ndiaye on the left flank who could well get bums of seats at Goodison this season.
It does feel like an area from which he can hurt an opposition, cutting inside and driving at the defence, just as Deulofeu used to do for the Toffees. It could prove to be an inspired move from the former Burnley manager, who is looking to keep Everton in the Premier League once again.
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