Iliman Ndiaye, a convincing debut with Manchester City

Brilliant in Everton colors for the past two seasons, the Senegalese international attacking midfielder has reached a new milestone in his career. At 26 years old, he has signed with Manchester City until June 2031 for a fee of 70 million euros. From his first appearance, the Rouen native justified the amount spent by the Skyblues, even though he still has significant room for improvement collectively.

Iliman Ndiaye involved in all the right moves

First match, first victory for Iliman Ndiaye with the Cityzens. Beyond the win, the 26-year-old stood out. The Senegalese international was a real torment for his opponent on the left side of the attack.

Already up and running this season at Everton, Ndiaye continued in this good form. No adjustment period needed. He influenced Manchester City's attacking play: 93% pass completion, one key pass, 95% pass completion in Coventry's half, 2 dribbles succeeded out of 7, 9.6 km distance covered, and a top speed clocked at 34.3 km/h. Those are the attacking statistics for the former Olympique de Marseille player.

Beyond his fine offensive performance, Iliman Ndiaye also impressed defensively. He systematically tracked back to help his left-back, Josko Gvardiol, after losing possession. The Senegalese won 1 out of 3 tackles, 6 out of 12 duels, and recovered 2 balls.

Iliman Ndiaye shares positive news about his injury

In the 87th minute, Iliman Ndiaye made way due to a physical issue. Will this injury halt his great momentum? NO. It's only a minor scare for the 26-year-old Senegalese. He confirmed so himself after the game against newly-promoted Coventry: "Just a little cramp.", he answered.

Overall, while Iliman Ndiaye delivered a solid performance with Manchester City, tactically he wasn't quite there yet. After just two training sessions with his new teammates, he hasn't yet grasped all the movements that define his coach Enzo Maresca's playing style.

"Ili (Iliman Ndiaye) only had two sessions (of training, ed.). Most of the time, he was moving in the wrong direction and to the wrong spot. When Guehi had the ball, he dropped too deep when we need him higher up, in the final third, to stretch play... But that's normal; with time he’ll understand our principles." said the Skyblues coach at the end of the match.

Iliman Ndiaye made a strong impression at Manchester City in his debut. Now, it's up to him to quickly grasp Enzo Maresca's philosophy so that he can string together top-level performances.