Everton transfers latest as Assane Diao emerges amid Jack Grealish uncertainty

Everton are weighing a significant move in the market, with TeamTalk reporting that Como winger Assane Diao has emerged as a serious option while the club continue to assess whether a deal for Jack Grealish is realistic.

Recruitment at Goodison Park appears focused on adding more quality in the wide areas before the window closes. Diao, the 20-year-old Senegal international, is viewed as a player with the right profile and the right upside. He is also described as being “keen on a switch to the Premier League”, a factor that could become important if Everton decide to advance their interest.

There is a financial hurdle. Como are said to be “prepared to listen to offers in the region of £50-60 million for the 20-year-old”, which places the deal firmly in premium territory. That valuation will shape Everton’s thinking, particularly as other priorities remain in play.

Assane Diao fits Everton recruitment plan

From an Everton perspective, the appeal is obvious. Diao offers “pace, physicality and the ability to operate on either flank”, and his versatility extends even further. “The fact that he has played as a centre-forward is another plus for Everton, given that is another position they are keen to strengthen in.” In a single target, Everton would be addressing more than one need.

Diao’s record at Como adds substance to the interest. Since joining from Real Betis in 2025, he has registered 10 goals and two assists in 35 appearances. For a young attacker adapting to a new league, those are encouraging numbers, and they help explain why Everton have identified him as a possible solution.

Jack Grealish remains part of Everton thinking

At the same time, Grealish has not gone away. He “spent last season on loan at Everton, where he rediscovered some of his best form before injury intervened.” That previous spell matters, because familiarity can often simplify a transfer discussion. It is also notable that “The England international has maintained contact with the club, and a return remains under consideration.”

Even so, Everton’s ideal structure appears clear. Their “preference being a second loan deal”, a detail that hints at caution around cost and squad planning. Diao, by contrast, is framed as “a younger, longer-term alternative should a move for Grealish prove complicated or overly expensive”.

Iliman Ndiaye stance could shape next move

Another important strand in this story concerns Iliman Ndiaye. Everton’s current position is firm, the 26-year-old “is not for sale”, although that stance may only hold to a point. According to the report, “their resolve could be tested if a top Premier League side launches a bid north of £80million.”

That context is crucial. Everton want another wide player regardless, but any serious move for Ndiaye would intensify the need for reinforcements. As things stand, “barring a big-money Ndiaye sale, it is hard to see Everton signing both Diao and Grealish this summer.”

The central question, then, is whether Everton are prepared to stretch beyond £50 million for potential, or whether a more familiar and financially manageable route opens up with Grealish. Either way, the club’s attacking plans are active, layered and closely tied to how the wider market develops.

Our View

As an Everton supporter, this feels like one of those moments where the club have to get the balance exactly right. Assane Diao sounds exciting, and there is plenty to like about a young attacker with “pace, physicality and the ability to operate on either flank”. Everton have lacked that kind of depth and variation in forward areas for too long.

At the same time, £50-60 million is a huge outlay for a player who is still developing. Supporters will always back ambition, especially if The Friedkin Group are ready to support David Moyes, but it has to be smart ambition. If Diao arrives, he needs to be a player the club genuinely believe can become a top Premier League attacker, not simply an expensive reaction to a difficult market.

Grealish is the more emotional option because fans have seen what he can do in an Everton shirt. If he truly “rediscovered some of his best form” and still wants the move, there is obvious appeal there. The concern would be cost, fitness and whether another temporary deal serves the long-term rebuild as well as a younger signing might.

The Ndiaye angle is probably the biggest issue of all. If Everton keep him and add one more quality wide player, the attack already looks healthier. If he goes for “a bid north of £80million”, then the pressure changes completely and Everton may need more than one attacking addition. From a fan’s point of view, keeping Ndiaye and adding one of Diao or Grealish would feel like the best outcome, with Diao perhaps the bolder move and Grealish the safer one.