Stoke City midfielder Badou Ndiaye has been linked with a number of clubs, including Premier League side Everton.
Stoke City manager Nathan Jones has admitted that he ‘understands’ that reported Everton target Badou Ndiaye has ‘ambitions’.
The 28-year-old is currently on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations where his home country of Senegal will compete with Algeria in Friday’s final.
Turkish outlet Fanatik have claimed that Everton are interested in the midfield powerhouse, with Galatasaray and Fenerbahce also keen on him.
Following Stoke’s relegation to the Championship last season, Ndiaye made a season-long switch to Galatasaray, with Jones sharing his honest thoughts about his future.
“We would love Badou to come back motivated and wanting to play,” Jones told the Stoke Sentinel. “I’ve had a conversation with him and he’s a real good character, a lovely guy.
“They’re at the African Cup of Nations now, so it’s a difficult one because they miss most of pre-season, so does Peter Etebo. We would love him to come back do fantastically well for Stoke City, but we understand he has ambitions, but so do we
“There’s a solution to be found to that one and if he comes back with a motivation to work hard and do well, we’d love to have him because he’s a fantastic footballer. And in the dealings, I’ve had with him, a good character as well.”
Everton have already added a midfielder to their ranks when they secured the services of Manchester City utility man Fabian Delph [BBC Sport]
But with Idrissa Gueye’s future still up in the air at Goodison Park, and uncertainties over James McCarthy and Morgan Schneiderlin the Toffees may just need more midfield options.
Ndiaye joined Stoke from Galatasaray six months prior to their relegation to the second tier of English football [BBC Sport], as he returned to the club last summer and won the Super Lig title.
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