Ndiaye's £65m Move and Manchester City's Width Problem: When the Late January Rain Washes Away Patience

The late January rain in Manchester was not heavy, but it was enough to soak the running tracks at the Etihad training ground. I stood outside the fence, watching Iliman Ndiaye wear the sky blue shirt for the first time, and remembered another afternoon, also under rain, when I witnessed a team fall apart because no one was patient enough to wait for something to change. Football has its own way of reminding us that haste is often paid for with expensive contracts. Manchester City has just completed the signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Everton for a fee of £60 million, plus £5 million in performance-related add-ons. The contract runs for five years. At the same time, Jack Grealish has been loaned to Everton until the end of the season, in the final year of his contract at the Etihad. This is a dual transaction, a symbolic swap: a direct, fast winger expected to fill the void left by Grealish himself. But the story is not simply about replacing one person with another. It speaks to an admission of failure in City's recruitment strategy, a club facing the reality that they had no genuine winger on the bench during the match against Crystal Palace. Phil Foden, a player whose own manager Enzo Maresca admitted is "not a winger," was still deployed out wide. That was a patchwork, a stopgap solution, and ultimately they paid a price higher than Ndiaye's actual market value. I have followed Ndiaye since his days at Everton. He possesses a quality the English call "directness." He is not the type to hold the ball, wait, and maneuver in tight spaces like Grealish. Ndiaye receives the ball, turns towards goal, and surges forward. He describes himself: "I love to play with the ball on the floor in an attacking team that wants to score as many goals as possible." That statement sounds simple, but it reflects a philosophy entirely different from the football City has built over many years under Pep Guardiola. This change is not a tactical evolution, but an acknowledgment that the old model has begun to show weaknesses. Grealish, with his ball retention and ability to draw fouls, was once a key part of City's control-based system. But when opponents learned to neutralize him, and when age began to slow his steps, his value diminished. Ndiaye brings a different dimension: the ability to beat defenders 1-on-1, stretch defensive lines, and create chaos in tight spaces. That is what City has been missing, especially when facing deep-lying defenses. But I cannot help but question the £65 million fee. In a January transfer window, when supply is scarce and the desperation of big clubs is palpable, that price can be explained as a "panic premium." City failed in their pursuit of Cody Gakpo from Liverpool with an £80 million bid. They also tried to bring Joshua Zirkzee on loan, but Manchester United refused. When no other options remained, they turned to Ndiaye – a player who has proven his ability in the Premier League, but has never been considered a top-tier star. The truth is, Ndiaye is carrying a significant burden. £65 million is a figure that creates enormous expectations. If he does not score in his first five matches, the wave of criticism will begin. I have seen too many cases like this – players crushed by their transfer fee, turned into scapegoats for the impatience of management and fans. Ndiaye needs time to adapt to Guardiola's system, a complex system that demands high tactical understanding. He is not a player who can immediately integrate and shine. For Everton, letting Ndiaye go and bringing in Grealish on loan is a financially sound move. They receive £65 million, money that can be reinvested into the squad. Grealish, though past his peak, remains an experienced and technically gifted player who can help a team struggling in the lower half of the table. Moreover, this is the final year of Grealish's contract, and he will have immense motivation to prove his worth, possibly to earn a recall to the England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup. But there is something few people notice: Grealish's departure also means City loses an experienced voice in the dressing room. In a team undergoing reconstruction, with many new signings and young players, the presence of someone who has won the Champions League is worth more than what is seen on the pitch. That is an invisible loss, but it can affect team cohesion during difficult periods. I recall a story a colleague once told me: when a big club signs a player for a high fee, they are not just buying a player, they are buying a story. And that story can become a success story or a tragedy, depending on how the club and fans treat that player. Ndiaye arrives at City with a beautiful story: a young player, eager to prove himself on the biggest stage. But whether that story has a happy ending depends on many factors. One of the most important factors is how Guardiola uses Ndiaye. Will he start him immediately, or integrate him gradually? Will he demand strict adherence to the system, or allow Ndiaye the freedom to express his individuality? I believe Guardiola, with his tactical intelligence, will find a way to maximize Ndiaye's abilities. But he also needs to be patient, and that is not always easy in an environment where results are everything. As for Everton, they stand before a great opportunity. The £65 million can be used to strengthen the squad, or to invest in promising young players. But they must also be cautious. History has shown that clubs do not always use the money from selling key players effectively. Sometimes, they spend recklessly on wrong signings, and the result is a team that gets worse. I have witnessed too many such stories in my 39 years in this profession. Small clubs sell their star, receive a large sum, then spend unwisely. They buy unsuitable players, or pay excessive wages to those who do not deserve it. And then they fall into a downward spiral, never able to return to their former standing. Everton must avoid that trap. Looking at this entire transaction, I see a certain irony. Manchester City, one of the richest clubs in the world, is struggling to find a winger. They sold two wingers in this transfer window (Savio and Marmoush to Tottenham), and now must pay a premium to buy one back. This shows that even the biggest clubs can make mistakes in transfer planning. And there is one more thing, something I always care about: the impact of this deal on the balance of the Premier League. When big clubs continuously spend heavily, they widen the gap with the rest. Everton, despite receiving £65 million, will still find it difficult to compete with clubs like City, Liverpool, or Arsenal. They will continue to be a mid-table team, dependent on developing and selling players to survive. That is a sad reality, but it is how modern football operates. I will closely follow the next developments. Will Ndiaye show his class at City? Will Grealish rediscover his form at Everton? Will City face trouble with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) after spending so much in this window? All these questions will be answered in the coming months. And I will be there, recording every moment, every small detail, as I have done for 39 years. Because for me, football is not just about numbers, contracts, or tactics. Football is about stories of people, dreams, patience, and haste. And the story of Ndiaye, of Grealish, of Manchester City and Everton, has only just begun. The late January rain has washed away the patience of a big club, but it also brings a new opportunity for those who know how to wait. From zero, I know that the dressing room door only opens when you dare to stand waiting in the rain. And I will continue to stand there, waiting, observing, and recording what I see. Because that is my job, and that is also how I understand football – a game where patience is often rewarded, and haste often comes at a cost.