Arsenal’s Late Move for Iliman Ndiaye: Inside the Failed Ndiaye Hijack

Arsenal made a surprise last-gasp attempt to hijack Manchester City’s move for Iliman Ndiaye, according to reporter Sébastien Vidal — a twist that shows just how desperate the Premier League champions were for attacking reinforcements before the summer deadline.

A Frustrating Window for Arsenal’s Attack

Signing a forward was one of Mikel Arteta’s top priorities all summer, but target after target slipped away. Morgan Rogers looked close before Chelsea swooped in with a record fee. Julian Alvarez was pursued relentlessly — Arsenal even dangled a £59m-plus-Viktor Gyokeres package — but Atletico Madrid refused to sell.

The Ndiaye Hijack Attempt

With options drying up, Arsenal turned their attention to Ndiaye, reportedly approaching Everton directly in a bid to disrupt City’s move. The France-born Senegal international, however, stayed firm on his commitment to Enzo Maresca’s side, and the £64m switch to Manchester went through as planned.

Plan B: Reinforcements Elsewhere

Arsenal briefly eyed Malick Fofana as an alternative but didn’t push hard enough, and the Belgian winger joined Sunderland instead. Their attacking business ultimately came down to Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge.

Elsewhere, the Gunners were busier: triggering Piero Hincapie’s buy option, signing goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a free from Leeds United, landing Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle in a marquee deal, and bringing in Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa as defensive cover following William Saliba’s injury.

One Winger, Many Questions

With Tzolis now the squad’s only recognised left winger, Arsenal’s title defence could hinge on depth in wide areas — making a January move to bolster the attack a real possibility.