Report: Liverpool eyeing Everton star in shock transfer raid

Liverpool’s succession planning for Mohamed Salah has taken a dramatic Merseyside twist, with Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye now a genuine target for the Reds, according to TeamTalk. The development marks a rare potential crossing of the city divide as Liverpool pivot from high-profile rejections to Premier League-proven solutions.

Sources indicate that Liverpool have been preparing for Salah’s departure “from virtually the very moment he signed his record-breaking new deal at the club in April 2025,” and the search for a successor has accelerated after enquiries for Michael Olise, Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola were all rebuffed. The club are now “prepared to launch a ground-breaking move on their city rivals,” with Ndiaye’s name “garnering serious attention among Liverpool’s decision makers” since early in the campaign.

At 26, Ndiaye offers immediate readiness: six goals and three assists in Everton’s current season, versatility across the front line, and a direct style that thrives in chaotic transitions. The Senegal international’s contract runs until 2029, leaving Everton in control of negotiations, yet Liverpool’s interest is described as a test of both clubs’ resolve.

Manchester United and Juventus are also monitoring the former Marseille forward, but Liverpool’s need is most acute. RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande remains “very much towards the top” of the shortlist, while Juventus winger Francisco Conceicao is under review, yet Ndiaye’s Premier League experience aligns with a recalibrated recruitment strategy prioritising attainable talent over speculative potential.

A deal would carry historic weight: direct transfers between Liverpool and Everton are almost culturally taboo, and any agreement would need to be “hugely significant.” Supporters may bristle at raiding a rival, yet the club’s data-driven hierarchy view Ndiaye as a forward who can help redefine a sometimes predictable attack rather than replicate Salah’s output like-for-like.

The final decision will reveal whether Liverpool are executing a coherent rebuild or accepting market constraints. What is certain is that Ndiaye’s rise “has not gone unnoticed,” and the conversation itself signals a club at a crossroads between sentiment and strategy.