The path from non-League to England’s elite level is now a well-trodden one. Many players have taken the route, and their rise has given every non-League player hope that they can still make it to the top of the English game and, in some cases, the European and world games.
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Another player who is part of that club is Senegalese international Iliman Ndiaye, who joined Premier League Everton from Marseille for a fee of around £16.9m. The forward has signed a five-year contract with the men from Merseyside.
What is the origin story of Ndiaye’s football career?
On the face of it the deal just looks like two clubs in Europe’s top-five leagues doing a deal for an international player. However, when you dig deeper, Ndiaye’s story has more to it than that.
The attacking midfielder was born in France to a Senegalese father and a French mother. During his childhood, he spent time in both of his parents’ native countries, which gave him a perspective on his heritage.
He played youth football in France with his hometown club, Rouen, before making a big move to the youth system of French giants Marseille, Ndiaye’s favourite club when he was growing up.
However, between 2014 and 2016, the forward was in the academy of Dakar Sacre-Cœur, in his father’s homeland. When his dad moved to England, his son followed and soon set about finding himself a place to play the game he loved.
Ndiaye’s first venture into English football came as a youth player with Boreham Wood in 2016. While with the club, he also had a loan spell further down the football pyramid with the semi-professional club Rising Ballers.
The forward signed a professional contract with Boreham Wood in November 2017 as an 18-year-old. He impressed in the Wood youth ranks, and his next move maybe defined his career so far.
Snapped up by Sheffield United in 2019
The then-Premier League club Sheffield United snapped Ndiaye up on a reported free transfer. It would turn out to be great business by the Blades, both on and off the pitch.
For his first few seasons in Sheffield, the Senegalese international struggled to break into the Blades first-team squad. In fact, in his first two seasons with the Yorkshire outfit, Ndiaye made just one appearance for the first team.
That one appearance was significant, though, as it was his first and, to this date, only in the top flight of English football. During the 2019/20 season, Sheffield United decided to loan the forward out so that he could gain some first-team experience.
His temporary new home would be the Northern Premier League Premier Division club Hyde United. The skilful forward made nine appearances for Hyde in all competitions, scoring just once.
It may not have been the most prolific loan spell, but it may just have helped Ndiaye come to grips with playing senior football.
In season 2021/2022, Ndiaye enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with United. He made 35 appearances in all competitions and scored seven goals.
However, it wasn’t until the following season that the talented star really stood out, with a goal contribution of 15 goals in 52 appearances. It was not only his goals that made him stand out, though, as he also produced ten assists.
His goal contributions were crucial in the Blades winning promotion back to the Premier League for season 2023/24.
However, Ndiaye’s form caught the eye of childhood club Marseille, who splashed out a reported fee of around £18m to snap up the forward. The dream move turned slightly sour for the forward, though.
OM struggled for form in the campaign, which undoubtedly affected the star, who scored just three goals and picked up just three assists in his solitary campaign at his former club.
A chance to shine in the Premier League
Having endured a poor spell at Marseille, Ndiaye will now have a chance to shine in the Premier League in season 2024/25 with Everton. His previous experience of England’s top flight wasn’t exactly extensive.
When he last played in the English top flight, he was a youngster looking to make a breakthrough into senior football.
However, he returns as a seasoned professional footballer who has not only made a name for himself in club football but also appeared for Senegal at the World Cup in 2022.
Ndiaye is fiercely ambitious and wants to play at the truly top level of football. After a poor spell with Marseille, moving to Everton could well help the Senegalese international achieve his ambition.
It is now up to him to prove that he has the ability to make it in the English top flight. As he has shown in the past, he has a strong character and is unlikely to shirk the challenge of playing in the Premier League.
If Everton head coach Sean Dyche can get the best out of Ndiaye, he could prove to be an absolute bargain. He is the sort of attacking player that the Toffees don’t have in their squad, as the forward is a skilful and quick player.
The story of Iliman Ndiaye has only just started, and we are sure there is plenty more to come from the player who has the ability to light up a game.
Did you see Iliman Ndiaye play for any of his non-League clubs, and what were your thoughts on the forward?