Sheffield United reiterate Iliman Ndiaye transfer stance after ‘£20m’ Everton offer

Paul Heckingbottom has insisted his stance on Iliman Ndiaye’s Sheffield United has not been affected by the club’s transfer embargo, after French media reported that top-flight strugglers Everton had failed with a £20m bid for the Senegal international.

Ndiaye’s future has come under scrutiny this window, with a combination of his impressive form and his ever-decreasing contract length at Bramall Lane leading to inevitable speculation that he may depart.

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Those fears only intensified when United confirmed they had been placed under a transfer embargo by the EFL last week, with non-payment of a transfer instalment threatening to cast a shadow over their hopes of reaching the Premier League.

French outlet L’Equipe reported this week that a £20m Everton bid for Ndiaye had failed, with the outlet claiming the player rejected the move. Everton are set to appoint Sean Dyche as their new manager after sacking Frank Lampard recently, with the Toffees struggling in the Premier League.

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“I think there’s been interest,” Heckingbottom, who has led his side to second in the Championship table ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup tie at Wrexham, acknowledged, when asked about Ndiaye and Sander Berge.

“And there always is. You start to hear it before windows and things like that, but there’s been no bids.

“All I can do is stress the same things. With the position we’ve got ourselves in, I don’t want anyone to leave. The landscape’s changed with where we are and what we’ve got.

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“But from my point of view, if we’re embargoed, it’s even more important they don’t leave. My stance on that won’t change.”