Iliman Ndiaye has opened up on the reasoning behind his deadline-day switch to Manchester City, revealing that his desire to compete in the Champions League ultimately swayed him away from a move to Tottenham.
The Senegalese winger completed a £60million transfer from Everton to City after Spurs had already agreed personal terms and a fee for his signature. However, once City registered their interest as the transfer window drew to a close, Enzo Maresca's side moved quickly to hijack the deal, and Ndiaye did not need much convincing to change course.
Speaking to reporters after making his City debut in Saturday's 1-0 win over Coventry, Ndiaye described the process as calm and free of anxiety. "There was no stress or no panicking," he said. "I always say whatever comes, comes. God decides your future, it's already written. I was just being patient and when City came through I was buzzing."
The 25-year-old made clear that City had always been his preferred destination once they entered the picture, even though a move to Tottenham had been close to completion. "For me it was always going to be City," Ndiaye explained. "I wanted Champions League and playing at one of the best teams in the world. I'm not saying Tottenham is not, but when Manchester City comes through, you don't say no."
He added that the decision was one he had discussed at length with his family before committing to any move away from Everton. "This is where I think I belong," he said. "I've worked hard to get to this point. When I was speaking with my wife, I was telling her if I had to leave Everton it would be somewhere where I know I would be playing Champions League."
Tottenham's pursuit of Ndiaye had been tied to a separate deal that saw Richarlison return to Everton in a £35m transfer, with Spurs viewing the Senegalese international as a ready-made replacement. Despite their head start in negotiations, Tottenham's recent league form appears to have played a part in Ndiaye's thinking, with the north London club having finished 17th in each of the last two Premier League seasons.
Ndiaye also revealed that a conversation with Maresca helped seal his decision to move to the Etihad Stadium. "He's someone that admired me and as soon as they came through I had only one direction where I wanted to go," the winger said of the Italian coach.
After completing the switch on deadline day, Ndiaye wasted little time getting involved for his new club, featuring for 87 minutes in City's victory over Coventry before being substituted late on. Concerns over a potential injury were eased when Ndiaye clarified that his withdrawal was simply down to cramp rather than anything more serious.
Reflecting on his whirlwind week, the winger struck an upbeat tone. "It's been a good week for me and topped off with a win," he said.
Attention now turns to City's opening Champions League fixture of the season, a trip to Porto on Tuesday night. Ndiaye could be handed his European debut for the club, having previously featured in continental competition only during Marseille's unsuccessful Champions League qualifying campaign back in 2023.
Based on reporting from Standard Football and The Independent.