Man United and Liverpool are reportedly engaged in a serious battle to sign Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye this summer transfer window.
The news comes as Manchester United continue to reshape their attacking options following a significant overhaul of their forward line in recent seasons.
United allowed Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and Jadon Sancho to depart last summer, leaving noticeable gaps on the flanks that manager Michael Carrick has had to navigate carefully.
Rashford joined Barcelona on loan, though the Catalan club are reluctant to make the deal permanent by meeting United’s asking price, and the Englishman is expected to be sold this offseason.
Sancho, meanwhile, joined Aston Villa on loan, but his existing contract with Man United is set to expire at the end of this month, further thinning the club’s attacking depth.
United brought in Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer to bolster the left side of their attack, though he is not considered a natural winger by trade.
Patrick Dorgu was used to support Cunha this season, but the player is primarily a left-back, highlighting the need for a specialist wide attacker ahead of next season.
According to TEAMtalk, United have identified Ndiaye as a serious option after closely monitoring his performances over the last two campaigns, making the Senegalese forward a key summer target.
However, Liverpool have also earmarked the 26-year-old as a priority signing, specifically to replace departing Mohamed Salah, setting up a fierce crosstown rivalry off the pitch as well as on it.
Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea have also been keeping a close eye on Ndiaye’s situation, making this one of the most competitive transfer pursuits of the summer window.
Despite the intense interest from multiple top clubs, Everton have no intention of selling Ndiaye, with his contract running until 2029 and the club valued him at around £47m by Transfermarkt.
The Toffees are even prepared to offer him a new contract, though negotiations between the two parties have not progressed at all in recent months.
Ndiaye registered nine goal contributions in the Premier League this season, demonstrating his quality as a left-winger who is also capable of performing effectively on the opposite flank.
Interestingly, the fierce rivalry between Liverpool and Everton could play into United’s hands, as the Toffees would be far less willing to sanction a move to Anfield than to Old Trafford.