Hugo Viana has revealed more about the thinking behind Man City‘s £65m deadline-day move for Iliman Ndiaye.
City signed the former Everton forward for £60m plus £5m in potential add-ons after their attempt to sign Cody Gakpo from Liverpool came to nothing. An £80m offer for the Dutch international had been rejected before City switched their attention to Ndiaye.
The Senegal international was a rather different option. While Gakpo had been playing predominantly from the left for Liverpool, Ndiaye arrived with experience across several attacking positions.
Viana reveals what City saw in Ndiaye
Viana has now discussed the signing and the qualities City believed they were getting for their money.
Speaking to club media, with his comments carried by the Manchester Evening News, City’s sporting director said:
“Iliman is a very versatile player, he can play on the left, right and as a number 10 also. Maybe he can be a false nine in some games.”
Ndiaye spent much of his time at Everton playing from the left, but he has never been an orthodox winger. He can come inside, play behind a striker and, as Viana suggested, could even be used through the middle by Enzo Maresca.
There was another part of his background that appealed to City.
Ndiaye’s route to the Etihad has taken him from non-league football with Boreham Wood to Sheffield United, Marseille and Everton. Viana believes that says something about the mentality of City’s new signing.
“Iliman has shown us before, he has come from a very different level of football in England but with his work ethic and commitment he achieved to be able to come to Manchester City and that means the mentality is there and it is really, really important.”
Viana also believes City have signed someone who can be used in “three or four positions easily”, rather than a player tied to one role.
Ndiaye started Saturday’s 5-3 win over Sunderland and created an early opportunity for Erling Haaland before Jeremy Doku replaced him after the break.
Maresca’s assessment afterwards was brief.
“I think Iliman played quite well.”
There is still work to do. Maresca had already spoken about positional details Ndiaye needed to learn following his debut against Coventry, hardly surprising for a player arriving at the end of the window and immediately being asked to adapt to another manager.
He has at least joined a side in form. City’s seven-match winning run has allowed Maresca to introduce his new signing without needing him to transform the attack immediately.
Viana’s comments also shed a little more light on City’s decision to move for Ndiaye once Gakpo was no longer available. They didn’t buy the same type of player. Instead, they spent heavily on someone Maresca can use in several different positions.
More from the Etihad can be found in our latest Man City news and talking points.
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