Everton double deal is 'one of the worst pieces of business I've ever seen in football' - ex-scout

Everton will have been on the receiving end of one of the worst deals in Premier League history if Iliman Ndiaye is sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £60million while Richarlison makes his return for £35m.

That is the opinion of former senior Everton scout, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the late double deal.

Talks are ongoing to get the deal over the line, with the Tottenham striker reportedly requiring convincing to agree a return to Merseyside.

Should the deal go through, Ndiaye will move to the Lilywhites for a net fee of around £25m, in what will be considered a staggering bargain.

The Senegal international has three years remaining on his contract and had been expected to move for a fee in the region of £80m if he did leave this summer, while Richarlison is into the final year of his contract,

Ndiaye will potentially become Tottenham's ninth permanent arrival of the summer and take their expenditure to well over £400m.

Everton have 'sold their best player'

It has been a controversial week for Everton, who had been in talks with Nottingham Forest to sell Harrison Armstrong for £40m before fan protests saw them back out of the deal.

The sale of Ndiaye has followed immediately, and will likely leave a similar taste in the mouth for fans of the Toffees.

Ndiaye was a leading light for David Moyes' side last season and will be difficult to replace.

"I think Ndiaye's cheap at £60m. Should have been £80m. And Richarlison, £35m?. I wouldn't have paid more than £15m for him," King told Football Insider.

"I just cannot believe selling your best player and bringing in somebody who, while he was at your football club, certainly didn't produce any Brazilian form, that's for sure. And then he's had, what, three years or two years in Tottenham?

"Again, if you can tell me he's worth £35m after coming to Tottenham for £60m I mean, I'm sorry, Everton should never let him [Ndiaye] go for under £80m. And Richarlison, well, I'd have paid £15m.

"We're talking about young players here who are moving for £15m and £10m and £20m. What's Richarlison going to bring them? You know, I thought their centre-forwards were settling in all right. The boy [Thierno] Barry is doing well, and then you bring this bloke in. Do they want to win anything or don't they?"

He added: "If that's right for £60m, I mean, what a deal that's been for Tottenham. They got rid of Richarlison and, initially, have got the best player at Everton football club, by the time they paid it out, for £25m. It is one of the worst pieces of business I've ever seen in football."

What are the worst deals in Premier League history?

When you think about the worst Premier League signings ever, your mind immediately jumps to the expensive flops.

The likes of Mykhaylo Mudryk, Antony and Nicolas Pepe cost boatloads of cash and produced very little in return.

But in all three cases, there was some logic involved. All three players had enjoyed superb seasons at their previous clubs and could have been brilliant in the Premier League.

In the case of Everton and the Richarlison/Ndiaye exchange, there is not one bit slight element of sense behind the deal.