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IDRISSA GUEYE CONFIDENT EVERTON TEAMMATE OWNS QUALITIES FOR FUTURE GREATNESS

Senegal star Idrissa Gueye backs Everton teammate Iliman Ndiaye to win the Ballon d'Or. Gueye says the 25-year-old has a "unique combination" of talent and believes he can be the next African to win the prestigious award.

Idrissa Gueye confident Everton teammate owns qualities for future greatness
Iliman Ndiaye tipped to win the Ballon d'Or in future - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Iliman Ndiaye has the potential to be one of the best players in the world, according to Idrissa Gueye.

This season, the 25-year-old has dominated the Premier League, scoring four goals and dazzling defenders with his tricks on David Moyes' right flank.

Since the beginning of the season, several highlight clips of his matchday antics have gone viral as the larger football community begins to recognise his talent.

That talent might propel Ndiaye to the pinnacle of success, and possibly to the Ballon d'Or award that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo previously controlled, according to Gueye, his teammate from Everton and Senegal. The only African player to win the coveted prize is George Weah.

"I challenge [Ndiaye] every game, every time we play," Gueye stated. I talk to him all the time. He listens a lot, is a good guy, and I am, in a sense, his grandbrother. I always thought he would succeed at Everton, and to be honest, I have not seen his best yet.

"I train with him every day, so I get to see his qualities and his potential every day. All he needs to do is have high standards for himself, believe in himself, and keep working hard. When he first came here, I told him that he had the qualities, the technique, the skills, and everything to be the next African Ballon d'Or winner. I have never seen a mix like his before.

After leaving Marseille in the summer of 2024, Ndiaye had a successful debut season on Merseyside. Since Moyes took over in January, his attacking abilities have become more apparent, and the Blues manager has given him more latitude to run at full-backs.

That was best demonstrated by his incredible solo goal against Tottenham Hotspur, which gave Moyes the first victory of his second season as Everton's manager.

And despite being transferred to the right wing this season, he has not turned around. His incredible solo performance at Sunderland is the pinnacle of a season in which his cunning has given teammates other incredible opportunities, including one against Manchester City.

Speaking to the Everton club's media, Gueye stated, "He is a modest man. A really nice person. He enjoys playing and joking with everyone, thus he is not shy. He is humble and never stops working hard, thus no one ever has an issue with him. Even in those early movies, you can tell how hard he works, which is a result of his constant desire to improve.

Moyes has expressed similar admiration for Ndiaye and his dedication both on and off the field. In a recent interview with the ECHO, Moyes acknowledged that his level of skill had taken him by surprise. When I first arrived, I was unsure if he would add objectives to our existing ones since he stated, "If your nines are not obtaining them, you are saying where else are we getting the goals?" Are our wingers entering the game or our centre-half scoring from set pieces?

I must admit that when I initially arrived, I wondered if Ili would provide us with enough goals. However, he has given us significant goals and assists, and I genuinely believe that he has improved.

Even if his performances are drawing attention, Moyes remains optimistic about Ndiaye's future at Everton. But the constant worry is how to deal with his and Gueye's absence when Senegal travels to Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations in December and January.

"I typically think that he has improved considerably," Moyes stated. We do not have to worry about that because he has a long-term contract here. We do like him, and he is a very pleasant youngster to deal with. He is low maintenance, plays the entire game, and never complains.

"He leaves with Senegal and returns to play, so from that perspective, he is a pretty decent child; therefore, we like him a lot."

BRUNO SALTOR OFFICIALLY JOINS TOTTENHAM AS ASSISTANT COACH FOR THE NORTH LONDON DERBY

Tottenham appoints Bruno Saltor! Discover the new coaching team under Igor Tudor and the departures following Thomas Frank's exit.

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Tottenham Confirm Bruno Saltor as Assistant Coach Under Igor Tudor

Tottenham Hotspur just shook up their coaching staff, bringing in Bruno Saltor, a guy who’s worked with Chelsea and West Ham in the past.

Saltor’s stepping in alongside interim boss Igor Tudor until the season wraps up. Spurs let go of Thomas Frank earlier this month, and, like Manchester United, they’ve decided to go with a temporary setup for now and figure out the bigger picture in the summer.

Tudor, who’s managed clubs like Marseille, Lazio, and Juventus, is set to take charge for the first time this weekend in the North London derby against Arsenal. Saltor will be in the dugout for his first Spurs match, too.

If you’ve followed Saltor’s career, you might know he’s often worked with Graham Potter. That’s how he ended up at both Chelsea and West Ham. When Potter left Chelsea in 2023, Saltor took over as interim head coach. His one match in charge ended in a 0-0 draw with Liverpool. Frank Lampard replaced him soon after, and Saltor stayed on as part of the coaching staff until Mauricio Pochettino arrived, at which point he moved on. He later reunited with Potter at West Ham but left when Potter did in September.

Tottenham’s official statement confirmed the news: “Following the arrival of Igor Tudor as Head Coach until the end of the season, we can now confirm the appointment of three additional coaches to our Men’s First Team coaching staff. We welcome Bruno Saltor as Igor's assistant coach." Born in El Masnou, Spain, Saltor started his playing career in his home country before joining Brighton in 2012. He made 235 appearances there over seven years, then moved into coaching with the Seagulls after retiring in 2019. Since then, he’s picked up experience at Chelsea and West Ham.

Along with Saltor’s appointment, Spurs also announced some departures. Justin Cochrane, John Heitinga, and Chris Haslam are all leaving the coaching staff after Frank’s exit. The club thanked them for their efforts and wished them well.

GLASNER OUT? CRYSTAL PALACE CONSIDERING IMMEDIATE EXIT FOR BOSS AFTER DISMAL EUROPEAN DRAW

Oliver Glasner’s exit is imminent! Discover why Robbie Keane has emerged as the favorite to lead Crystal Palace out of crisis.

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Odds crash on Robbie Keane becoming the next Crystal Palace manager.

Oliver Glasner was supposed to stick around at Crystal Palace until the end of the season. That was the plan, anyway. But after another rough run of results, his exit could come a lot sooner.

Thursday night in Bosnia should’ve been nothing special, just a routine first leg against a team Palace should handle easily, with the real test back at Selhurst Park next week. Instead, a 1-1 draw against Zrinjski Mostar turned into another mess in a season that’s gotten uglier by the week for Glasner and Palace.

The travelling fans didn’t hide how they felt.

Palace have only managed one win in their last 15 games. That’s not a blip; it’s a full-on collapse, and it looks like Glasner’s time might be up even faster than everyone thought.

People at the top of the club have started openly asking if letting Glasner finish out his contract is actually hurting more than helping. He said back in January that he’d leave when his deal was up in the summer, but with results falling off a cliff and morale at rock bottom, those discussions have picked up speed.

Word is, Palace have already started looking for Glasner’s replacement, planning for a summer hire. But now, it looks like they might bring in his successor right away.

One name has shot straight to the top of the list: Robbie Keane.

TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook says Palace are considering Keane as a short-term fix if Glasner goes before the season ends. Keane’s reputation has soared lately. He won the Israeli Premier League with Maccabi Tel Aviv, then took the Hungarian league title in his first season at Ferencváros.

His win rate at Maccabi was over 73 per cent. He’s also done time as an assistant coach at Leeds and Middlesbrough. People who’ve played for him, like Ireland’s Callum O’Dowda, rave about him. O’Dowda said, “As soon as he opens his mouth, you want to listen. It’s phenomenal, really. On the coaching side,e he has been good.”

For now, Keane is still in charge at Ferencvaros, who are still in the Europa League, so prying him away won’t be simple.

Palace sit 13th in the Premier League, eight points clear of the relegation zone, but that gap feels less safe with every week they fail to win.

Tottenham even considered Keane as an interim manager before they went with Igor Tudor.

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