Chelsea are reportedly battling with Tottenham Hotspur over a deal to sign Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye, as per Caught Offside.
The Blues decided to reinforce the left flank by purchasing Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho from Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United, respectively, last summer.
However, both have displayed inconsistent performances thus far this season, with the Englishman set to remain sidelined for a few weeks due to a hamstring issue.
Apart from them, Liam Rosenior currently has Pedro Neto and Estevao Willian as the other wingers, but the Portuguese has also been inconsistent.
The Brazilian, on the other hand, has displayed glimpses of his high potential, but is still very young, and his game time needs to be managed carefully to help him reach his full potential.
Now, Caught Offside claim that Chelsea are interested in signing a new winger and have earmarked Ndiaye as a serious option. They have been monitoring his performances closely before making a potential swoop.
Ndiaye has shown glimpses of his qualities in the Premier League in recent times and has attracted the attention of Tottenham, Manchester United, and Arsenal, alongside the Blues.
Battle
With the player’s existing deal set to run until 2029, Everton aren’t in any rush to sell him in the summer, but could change their stance should they receive an offer of at least £57m.
Ndiaye is a right-footed, technically gifted winger and is comfortable on either flank. He helped the Senegal national team to win the AFCON by defeating Morocco in the final last month.
Moreover, the African has been helping Everton to push for a European place finish in the Premier League this season.
Tottenham currently have a very thin wide forward department after letting Brennan Johnson leave in the winter window. Dejan Kulusevski and Mohammed Kudus have been out injured, so Wilson Odobert is the only specialist winger available.
Ndiaye is a Premier League-proven player and could be a shrewd acquisition for Tottenham or Chelsea should either club purchase him. However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club or the West London club eventually manage to secure his service during the offseason.
