Inside Iliman Ndiaye’s Marseille transfer after Sheffield United star’s contract U-turn

United’s prized asset is on the verge of a return to his boyhood club, where he spent time as a youngster, less than two weeks before the start of the Blades’ Premier League season. It is the news that Unitedites have been dreading, with speculation rife all summer about Ndiaye’s future after he entered the final 12 months of his Bramall Lane contract.

There had initially been real belief that Ndiaye would extend his stay at Bramall Lane, after helping the club back into the top-flight last season. After a long period of negotiations, which saw Prince Abdullah speak to the player, an improved contract, which would have drastically improved Ndiaye’s salary but also given the club vital protection with its length, was agreed while United were in Portugal earlier this month.

A press release containing quotes from boss Paul Heckingbottom and Stephen Bettis was drafted in preparation for an official announcement and Ndiaye enthusiastically starred in an excellent and poignant video produced by United’s social media team to accompany it. The short film ended with Ndiaye being given the iconic No.10 shirt vacated by Billy Sharp, with the former United skipper even providing a voiceover for the video in which he wished Ndiaye all the best in his treasured squad number. Even getting the shirt with Ndiaye’s name and intended new number to Portugal was not a straightforward process, with a number of club staff going above and beyond to make it happen for a work-of-art video that will never now see the light of day.

As the week in Portugal went on and the contract remained unsigned, doubts began to resurface about Ndiaye’s future. The player’s agent has been keen to move his client to Marseille for some time but Ndiaye cut a happy figure throughout pre-season and United - who received no official contact from Marseille until very recently - were relatively relaxed about the situation. There is an understandable feeling behind the scenes that United could not have done much more this summer, having virtually sealed Ndiaye’s signature on a statement long-term deal. Then, after the player performed an unexpected U-turn and the club were informed of his desire to move after all, the focus reluctantly shifted towards receiving the best possible fee for their prized asset.

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Although the fee United will bank for Ndiaye will be officially undisclosed, as is the nature of transfers these days, The Star understands it is well over the figures being quoted in French media outlets over the weekend, which ranged from £13m to £14m. With longer on his contract Ndiaye would conservatively be worth more than double those amounts but with his deal expiring next summer, and United not possessing an option in their favour, the ball truthfully was simply not in the club’s court.

The loss of his star man less than two weeks before August 12’s season opener against Crystal Palace is another headache for boss Heckingbottom, who is eyeing up two new recruits with the money banked from Ndiaye’s impending sale. United’s transfer business so far this summer has focused on young and untried players in the top-flight; an approach that may now have to be reassessed as United look to replace a player who looked every inch a player capable of competing at Premier League level.