Iliman Ndiaye: “Everton must do everything to keep star” – Barry

Former Everton midfielder Gareth Barry has urged the club to fight tooth and nail and keep Senegal kingpin Iliman Ndiaye.

Ndiaye, 26, has attracted a number of suitors following his flamboyant performances for club and country.

He has been linked to two top English Premier League club, Liverpool and Manchester United as the former are in search of a replacement for Egypt Star Mohamed Salah who will leave at the end of the season.

Iliman Ndiaye has 38 Senegal caps

Barry, who won the Premier League with Manchester City in 2011-12 season, has made no secret of his admiration for the Teranga Lions.

In an interview with the Liverpool Echo, the former England international emphasized the importance of retaining the France born forward.

“He’s the kind of player who naturally attracts interest.

“This type of player is quite rare. And for Everton, they are difficult to replace, especially when you’re not playing in the Champions League.”

Upon joining the Toffees, Ndiaye quickly established himself as one of the team’s key players.

In two seasons, he consistently delivered top-level performances, becoming one of the English side’s best players.

Aware of the interest from other clubs, Barry stressed the need for Everton to do everything possible to keep him.

“If I were the club, I would do everything to keep him happy. I’m sure the club will be very attentive to his situation.

“But I’m confident (that he’ll stay), because he really seems to be enjoying his football.”

Ndiaye previously played for Sheffield United

Ndiaye was a regular feature in Senegal squad that beat hosts Morocco 1-0 in the finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in January.

He played six matches, scored one goal for the Teranga Lions whose AFCON glory being contested by Morocco at the Court of Arbitration for Sports [CAS].

He has an incredibly rich statistics this English Premier League season, chalking 24 appearances, scoring six times with three assists.

Ndiaye, who previously played for Sheffield United and Olympique Marseille, has 38 caps with four goals for Senegal.