Transfer Window Madness as Rumour Mill runs riot

Michael Kenrick 30/08/2026 24comments | Jump to last

With transfer window deadline rapidly approaching, Everton's infamous Rumour Mill has gone into hyperdrive and is delivering complete chaos for Evertonians as a host of claims and counter claims hit the airwaves this weekend. To sum up:

Rumour Mill Rumblings

Harrison Armstrong (Deal is Off!): Everton have supposedly pulled the plug on selling the massively promising 19-year-old midfield star to Nottingham Forest. Having recently broken into the first team and featured against Bournemouth, Everton view him as a crucial part of their squad depth moving forward.
Iliman Ndiaye (Heading to Spurs): Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement to sign the Senegal international from Everton. Spurs moved swiftly following early-season attacking struggles, targeting Ndiaye's versatility and directness to bolster their frontline.
Richarlison (In Talks for an Everton Return): Four years after leaving Goodison Park for Spurs in a £60M deal, the Brazilian forward is in talks to head back to Everton. After requesting a move, he could be the character needed to re-join the Toffees and improve their woeful frontline.
Jack Grealish (Loan Deal Advancing): Everton are reportedly making serious strides to secure Manchester City’s playmaker on another season-long loan as Enzo Maresca restructures his attacking options.
Kenny Tete (Long-term Everton Target): It was claimed last night that Everton have opened discussions to sign Fulham’s Dutch right-back to fill a gapping hole there that has preoccupied many fans.
Folarin Balogun (Ongoing Interest): Everton apparently maintain strong interest in the AS Monaco striker to add extra firepower upfront alongside a potential Richarlison return.

More to follow on each of these crazy stories as they develop...

Reader Comments (24)

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Ian Burns
1 Posted 30/08/2026 at 11:40:20

Hi Michael - your article clearly shows the frustration we all feel with these damned rumours - roll on Tuesday night!

As far as your list is concerned - beyond delighted over Harrison Armstrong.

Less so about losing Ndiaye and replacing him with Grealish, that’s a huge no from me.

Given the erratic form of our supposed strike force I can understand Richarlison/Balogun but Tete? - Please no!!

Martin Berry
2 Posted 30/08/2026 at 11:50:19

Why would Illy go to Spurs ? he isn't that dumb

Jim Bennings
3 Posted 30/08/2026 at 11:51:23

TFG are a pile of shite.

I'm really not liking what I'm seeing to be honest.

Now looks like Ndiaye will leave to Spurs, a club we could have sent into oblivion three months ago.

We just seem intent on selling the best players and replace them with players who are past their peak

Scott Hamilton
4 Posted 30/08/2026 at 11:52:55

Thanks for the summary, MK.

If Ndiaye is determined to leave - and if he’s mercenary enough to want to go to Spurs - then, thanks for everything Illy, but off you go.

Richarlison, Grealish and Balogun would certainly sweeten his departure.

And not selling Armstrong is like getting a new signing!

Mal van Schaick
5 Posted 30/08/2026 at 11:57:40

Thanks. Keep Ndaiye and Armstrong, get Richy, Baloguin and Grealish in plus a decent right fullback. Not Tete. That would be acceptable to me.

Jeff Armstrong
6 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:00:52

35 million for Richarlison is about 20 million overpriced, last year of his contract, on a downward curve with no sell on value goes totally against what TFG have been spouting.
If Ndiaye is determined to join Spurs then let him, but for a decent price 70 million ?
Then spend 35 million on a decent striker in the 24-27 age bracken if any available.

Kunal Desai
7 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:01:30

£60 million for Ndiaye
£35 million for Richarlison
£7 million Tete

TFG/Kinnear/recruitment committee. Get out of this club you absolute shower of motherfuckers.

Andrew Merrick
8 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:11:29

Tete being toted as the target all the while, sum of ambition marker that.
We should ask more than £60m for illy.
Seperate deals for him and Richy leave the City move option open, and facilitate a grealish loan ?
Still need another full back with Aznou loan and Beto could go too.
Still a lot in the air

Gavin Johnson
9 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:12:16

I posted on TW last night on whether anyone else had noticed that Richarlison wasn't even in the Spurs squad yesterday. I thought then that something was in the offing.

I didn't anticipate that Ndiaye would be going the other way. I thought he was going to City. I also said I wouldn't pay more than £20m on Richarlison who is less mobile these days.

That is the only way this deal would be conducive for me, with Everton getting £80m.

If Everton only got £60m, while also paying £35m on Richie would mean we've well and truly had our pants pulled down. Kinda ironic after many of us mocked Spurs for their recent business with Man City.

Scott Hamilton
10 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:14:56

Gavin (9) - Spurs’ manager came out yesterday to say that Richarlison is one of three players to say they want to leave the club, hence his absence.

Frankie McGrath
11 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:15:30

£60m seems too low, should be £70m plus. £35m too high for Richy. RB was a key position, so £7m/Tete is particularly disappointing. I would have preferred more money on RB, not to bother with Grealish and to spend more on a striker instead.
But thank goodness Armstrong deal off. That’s the biggest news as far as I’m concerned.

Derek Knox
12 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:16:59

Jim B @ 3 " I'm really not liking what I'm seeing to be honest."

Are you looking in the mirror Jim or reading this ? :-)

Joking apart, not a happy fan myself, NO TO TETLEY the has been TEABAG !

Can't see Illy going, but money drives many footballers these days !

Wouldn't say no to Richie, BUT at the right price/deal !

Dan Brierley
13 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:17:34

The transfer record since TFG takeover:

IN
Carlos Alcaraz
Thierno Barry
Mark Travers
Adam Aznou
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Tyler Dibling
Merlin Röhl
Brennan Johnson
Tyrique George
Hayden Hackney
Christian Nørgaard

OUT
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Ashley Young
Abdoulaye Doucouré
Mason Holgate
João Virgínia
Asmir Begović
Neal Maupay
Dwight McNeil
Idrissa Gana Gueye
Séamus Coleman

And here we are, some the predictable fans calling for resignations despite the new owners being less than two years into this major overhaul. Absolutely clueless.

Gavin Johnson
14 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:21:33

Where have people got the source for £60m for Ndiaye and £35m for Richie? Or are they just speculating?

If those fees are true I'm going to be even more depressed than yesterday.

Dan #13 people are not being clueless to call for resignations at all. If the aforementioned fees are true, Spurs have well and truly pulled our pants down on both deals.

Also, the possibility of losing our best young player who could be worth double the reported fee after a full season in the Prem...And not only that, but also selling to a lesser club who were bouncing around the Championship and League One for years.

Oh, and just to make the hat trick of poor deals we buy an ageing, injury prone RB who rejected us last summer, after we have had all summer to secure a RB.

I think you are clueless about not reading the room and our fanbases concerns about the never to be seen or heard TFG.

Dave Whitwell
15 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:24:36

I’m done I can’t take anymore of this utter shit show of a club, supporting something you love should not be this hard.

Jeff Armstrong
16 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:25:19

Gavin 14, the usual suspects, Romano. Bobble The Athletic, they’re probably about 75% accurate most of the time.

Barry Robson
17 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:26:52

Woukd love Ndiaye to stay but he seems determined to leave so let him. In my view Grealish a better player his game management is better than anyone currently at the club and has a winners mentality again something we need more of at the club. I think Richie will be a good move for Everton and him. Revitalise his career and we will benefit from that. So pleased Armstrong is staying. Definitely need a good finisher up top and obviously a RB.

Lester Yip
19 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:29:50

Rich is in the last year of his contract and he wants out. Even De Zerbi admits it publicly. With no other suitors and Spurs wants him off their wage bill, I can't see us paying $35m for him. No way.

Ndiaye is has 3 years contract with us. Spurs has lost their 2 starting games. Let the desparate team overpay.

Steve Jones
20 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:32:11

Jeff @16

It’s also subject to who is their source and the motivation of them.

I would suspect they have more open dialogue with Spurs and the players agents etc.

It is too early for confirmation of fees finally will be agreed.

We don’t jump at these figures like that and our trading team have haggled well so far - let’s see.

Karl Jones
21 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:32:47

A massive white flag if Everton sell Ndiaye to a team that only escaped relegation on the last day of the season No Champions league or any European competition and rock bottom ATM.
From the outside, it looks as though Everton have big financial issues and we've all been lied to yet again.

Colin Glassar
22 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:35:07

I really like Richarlison and Grealish but I feel their best days might be behind them. Both also break up play by constantly picking up fouls (real and imagined) delaying any attacking intent.

I will be gutted if Ndiaye leaves as he’s a player who gets fans off their seats.

Another worry about Grealish and Richarlison is how will their inclusion affect the progress of George, Dibling, Johnson and Barry?

Kinnear needs to be sacked ASAP

Paul Hewitt
23 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:39:29

If Richarlison had started yesterday instead of Barry, we win that game.

Steve Jones
24 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:40:35

Dan @13

Thanks for doing this nice piece of analysis and sharing the reality. Overall a very good job so far. Next two days vital to keep up their good work.

If Angus and his team back up nice interview messaging then we should applaud. Big ask over next two days.

At least, we should wait till Wednesday before throwing hand grenades at them.

Steve Shave
25 Posted 30/08/2026 at 12:44:38

Everyone needs to calm down a little, firstly nothing is confirmed. Secondly we don't know that TFG have financial problems, we do know that something isn't right however and there is a disconnect between Moyes and the board it seems. We can't control it so lets wait and see what happens at the end of the window, there may be some interesting twists and turns just yet.

Noise about us selling Armstrong seems to have died so that's a good thing, it seems that they need to generate income and Illi wants out so as long as the offer is good that makes business sense to me. Personally I feel he should show more respect to the club and fans that have completely revitalised him but there you go, thats the modern game.

If we sold illi for £70m and brought Richy for say £25m I would consider that reasonable business. Grealish on loan ONLY please, i'd welcome him back and get behind him, as I mentioned on here yesterday, he has commercial value too and raises our profile.

So that would cover the wide spot vacated by Illiman and would bring us in a very decent striker who is much loved here and a place where he can get his career back on track, he loves playing for us don't forget. Whether that means we get to ship out Beto in the last year of his deal that would also make sense, rumours are of Fiorentina being interested.

Lastly, the right back slot. Tete is actually an excellent player, its not that he wouldn't enhance our team, its that he is injury prone and 30 years old. It would be a depressing choice, especially (if the rumours are true) the Romanian lad Fulham are replacing him with is considerably better and younger. Why aren't we just in for him? Maybe the above scenario enables us to actually buy someone of quality. Lets see, COYB.

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