Most Evertonians would quickly agree that the most exhilarating Senegalese to watch, currently playing for Everton, is none other than Iliman Ndiaye. The pacy forward can operate in multiple positions and established his value during the Toffee’s penultimate game of the Premier League season. However, his international ally, Idrissa Gana Gueye, is just as integral to this transitioning Everton team under David Moyes. Whilst Ndiaye is undoubtedly capable of conjuring chaos for opponents, Gueye’s profound ability to nullify attacks is invaluable, hence why he was recognised by both supporters and his colleagues.  

In fact, since his return in September 2022, the energetic midfielder has made 303 tackles in the Premier League. Only Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo has marginally exceeded this remarkable feat during this period, with 305, at Brighton and Chelsea, in that order. Not only that, but Gueye is a dozen years older than the Ecuadorian.

At 35 years old, it would seem unreasonable for Gueye’s contract to be extended, yet there aren’t many midfielders in the world capable of replacing him. Perhaps that is why Everton are so eager to confirm his presence for at least one more season. After Ashley Young’s pre-announced departure just over a week ago, Gueye is Everton’s second oldest player, behind the iconic Seamus Coleman. It is fair to say that the Senegalese has aged like fine wine, and his experience will be invaluable to Everton, if they hope to achieve success at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. 

After gratefully accepting his awards, Gueye told Everton TV: “I’m very proud to be part of this team and hopefully this team will get what it deserves moving forward – playing for the top five, playing in Europe and winning trophies.” 

During a season of two halves, Gueye, alongside only a few Everton players, consistently performed to a high level. With an average match rating of 7.04 and 2 Player of the Match awards, according to FotMob, Gueye allowed rampant counter-attacks to build under David Moyes by sitting effectively in front of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite. 

With Charly Alcaraz set to sign permanently for the Toffees, the new style of attacking fluently is sure to be prominent next season. With the superb sentinel Gueye in the side, Everton can continue to score goals freely, which was a major issue under the former manager, Sean Dyche. 

Although Gueye himself failed to register a goal during the recently ended campaign, he still recorded 3 vital assists. Two of these came during Moyes’s inaugural win during his second stint against newly crowned European Champions, Tottenham Hotspur. The game, which took place on Sunday 19 January 2025,, proved to be a turning point for the Blues, who went on to lose only 3 games before the end of the season. alongside many   Under David Moyes, Gueye was key to the revitalisation of Everton, after a torrid beginning to the season.  

After the difficult departure of 32-year-old Abdoulaye Doucouré, Everton are obviously obliged to search for a new midfielder. Whilst James Garner has been faultless, and Tim Iroegbunam has evidently demonstrated his potential as a box-to-box midfielder, Idrissa Gueye, ultimately, isn’t getting any younger (35), and is therefore prone to injuries. 

Luckily, Gana missed only one game during the 2024-25 campaign, a 1-1 stalemate away at the King Power Stadium, yet reinforcements are still necessary if Everton want to achieve a top-half finish next season. But before announcing the inaugural signing of the ‘Friedkin Era’, Everton must make Gana’s contract renewal their number one priority.  

In conclusion, since Gana’s homecoming during Frank Lampard’s first summer transfer window, the Senegalese has reinstated his absolute significance for the Blues. Gueye’s zippy presence simply amplifies Everton’s attacking output, whilst exuding confidence for the formidable centre-backs positioned just behind him. It's no surprise that he claimed the two most significant awards available. His impact is immense. 

 

 

 

Reader Comments (17)

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Michael Kenrick
1 Posted 29/05/2025 at 21:26:45
Nice job, Billy.

He's been getting a lot of fully merited praise on here as double award is well deserved.

I struggled over one sentence in the middle:

Gueye allowed rampant counter-attacks to build under David Moyes by sitting effectively in front of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite.

So for me, Gueye has done most of his work in forcing the transition or making it happen. But I don't recall him being that involved in building any rampant counter-attacks himself. You do say 'allowed' which seems odd — why wouldn't he? His short passing is usually okay but he's not one to launch a breakaway, is he? What exactly was he allowing, I wonder?

Danny O'Neill
2 Posted 29/05/2025 at 21:57:14
Personally, I think he is underestimated in how he can turn a game around. His strength is obviously his break up play and winning the ball back. But he can turn play around with a clever pass. I've seen that with my own eyes on more than one occasion.

He's looked after himself. Forget the age, he's got another season or two him. And I will be glad that it will be with Everton if that is confirmed.

Les Moorcroft
3 Posted 29/05/2025 at 22:04:41
If we can get some young legs around him with some speed and skill, he could be our new Peter Reid.
Jerome Shields
4 Posted 29/05/2025 at 22:21:29
Well deserved.Great defensive midfielder-.Tackling, spoiling play, getting turnovers.Ok on short passes, but needs players available for interplay, otherwise forced into long passes, were he can lose possession. Needs a player maker with him in midfield.

Getting a quality replacement to do the job he does would be difficult.

Mike Gaynes
5 Posted 29/05/2025 at 22:25:36
Michael, one thing I believe goes unnoticed with Gana is how quickly and efficiently he gets rid of the ball once he wins it. Tackle, quick look, one touch short pass to Garner or Charly or Ili, and it's headed up the pitch.

I contrast that with Mangala or Iroegbunam, both of whom are much better long passers than Gana but will take 2-3 touches after winning the ball. With Gana, it's on his foot and instantly gone. Different approach, not necessarily better or worse but different.

I agree it's an awkward sentence -- it halted me too -- but I think that's what the writer means.

Les Moorcroft
6 Posted 29/05/2025 at 22:26:30
Jerome I take it you didn't see Peter Reid then?
Jim Wilson
7 Posted 29/05/2025 at 23:36:46
Great article Billy.
Jerome, spot on mate. Some people are blasé on whether we need Gana to sign a new contract, I agree with you it would be difficult to find an adequate replacement. It is all opinion but I think Gueye signing a new deal is a massive priority.
Ernie Baywood
8 Posted 30/05/2025 at 02:15:33
Another players whose season turned around after 19 games.

The first half of the season was spent being criticised for using the ball poorly when we played with most of the team in our own final third. ie no-one to play the ball too.

In the second half he's supplemented his endless running and tackling with some decent work on the ball.

Jonathan Oppenheimer
9 Posted 30/05/2025 at 03:06:08
There was a period the last couple seasons where he was very loose with the ball and scared me when he tried to do too much or if he was under pressure. This season he was just so locked in, not just with his tackling, but also like Mike G. said, very tidy once he won it.

You think of guys like Gbamin and even Onana, who were not like-for-like, but were brought in on big money to play a defensive midfield role…and then Gueye, who cost next to nothing compared to those guys (even if we got the Onana money back), just a superior footballer, even if not the most dynamic with the ball. We’re so lucky he chose to come back to us. Top class and certainly under appreciated by the rest of the footballing world.

Jerome Shields
10 Posted 30/05/2025 at 07:43:37
Les#6

I did see Peter Reid in the fresh.Reid could organise and take part in a Counter Attack

Paul Birmingham
11 Posted 30/05/2025 at 09:35:04
Well done Billy, great 1st article, and if Everton can secure a new deal for Gana, that's good business.

UTFTs!

Martin Mason
12 Posted 30/05/2025 at 09:48:46
He is possibly the most underrated player I've seen yet I believe that he is as good as the superb Claude Makelele was at Chelsea playing a very similar game. You can't really find players like this very easily.
Phil Roberts
13 Posted 30/05/2025 at 09:55:19
Claude Makelele, the rich man's Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Andrew Merrick
14 Posted 30/05/2025 at 12:25:26
Gana's got to be feeling the love, two awards, all smiles, hes a blue...he will sign.
Andrew Keatley
15 Posted 30/05/2025 at 12:48:54
Michael (1) and Mike (5) - I suspect that Billy also meant that the discipline Gana has, to generally hold his position as required, means that whenever a counter-attack opportunity presents itself that it gives Gana’s team-mates greater licence to quickly join the counter as Gana will be ready to fall into vacated positions should the counter break down.
Colin Glassar
16 Posted 30/05/2025 at 17:16:43
Great post, Billy. For a second I thought you were Billy Bingham.

Idrissa is like a vintage Rolls Royce. He just becomes more valuable with time.

Billy Birmingham
17 Posted 30/05/2025 at 18:10:15
Andrew (15) Thanks you for clearing this up perfectly. Gana's positional discipline 'allows' more attacking-minded players (Alcaraz, Ndiaye, McNeil) to break forward, with the confidence that they have a deep lying midfielder behind them to recover possession if lost.

As mentioned by Martin (12) and Phil (13), Gueye's strict defensive positioning allows other midfielders to have freedom further up the pitch, and is reminiscent of Makelele's well-known role at Chelsea under Mourinho.

Take Ndiaye's fantastic goal against Spurs for example, Gueye is right in front of Tarkowski and Branthwaite, giving Ndiaye the license to break forward quickly and score.

Thank you all for the positive feedback!

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