At Marseille, patience is wearing thin as former Sheffield United player Iliman Ndiaye keeps struggling to find his form. After helping the Blades win their way back into the Premier League and out of the Championship, Ndiaye left Bramall Lane to sign with the Ligue 1 team last summer.
With Marseille taking part in the Europa League, the Senegalese international was able to play at the highest level in Europe and return to the team he represented as a kid. It’s safe to say, though, that things have not gone as expected since his return to the south of France.
Ndiaye has found it difficult to replicate his success at Bramall Lane; in 37 games across all competitions, he has only managed four goals and four assists. This is true even though Jean-Louis Gasset had him start the majority of the games in a variety of front-four positions.
A few weeks ago, he showed signs of consistency by scoring goals in convincing victories over Montpellier and Clermont. He also scored against Shakhtar Donestsk in the Europa League knockout rounds, but in the games since, he has failed to find the net. As a result, supporters are starting to doubt both his signing and his position in the team, according to French daily Le Phoceen via Sport Witness.
Marseille supporters have taken note of his eye-catching figures while wearing a Blades shirt, and his talent has even been questioned as he struggles to deliver a finished product. Then, rumours circulated that Ndiaye would be given one more chance to live up to the hype in a Marseille jersey when the team plays Benfica in tonight’s Europa League quarterfinal second round.
If Ndiaye doesn’t make an impression, Gasset might start searching for other possibilities, and his future with the team might be called into question. The 24-year-old has already been linked to moves away from Marseille; in January, there was talk of a move to Crystal Palace.
As much as many would like to see him return, it seems quite improbable that a move back to South Yorkshire would be on the cards anytime soon. However, if Ndiaye struggles at the Stade Velodrome, summer transfer rumours to the Premier League wouldn’t be shocking.
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