An indisputable holder at the age of 35, the Senegalese midfielder is a key element for Everton who will still have to count on him to save their place in the Premier League this season.
When a young man of 19, Idrissa Gana Gueye, landed in the North of France, in Lille, in 2008, probably few people would have imagined that he would become one of the main footballers in the history of the Senegalese football. And perhaps even fewer would have thought that, 17 years later, he would still be considered one of the most influential players for his team in the best World Championship with his high-intensity matches. In an Everton team that has been in the race for survival for several seasons, Gana is doing well, in a very good way.
On April 27, 2024, the former Diambars even scored the goal to keep the Toffees against Brentford (1-0). An evening which had reinforced the love of every Everton supporter for him. “It was a special moment, confides Gana in an interview on the club website. The goal came from me and I was happy. It was a special moment for me to keep the club in the Premier League. Of course I prefer to score this kind of goal to win trophies or for a final, but at the moment it is like this and we have to accept it and work hard to try to reach the next level. »
“He covers all the ground and does a lot of good things for his age”
Almost eight months to the day, the reality is still the same for the residents of Goodison Park, they who even fired the coach Sean Dyche, recalling the experienced David Moyes (61 years old) to better position themselves in this fight for the maintenance. And with this objective, they are still banking on their Senegalese midfielder. At 35 years old and with experience of more than 200 Premier League matches, the most capped player in the history of the Senegal selection (114 caps) is performing at an excellent level, as evidenced by his last two matches, against Aston Villa. and Tottenham.
“I think he played well in the last two games, I also think he did a good job against Aston Villa and he also did a very good job in the middle against Tottenham,” confided Moyes at a press conference this Friday. Idrissa Gueye is the lungs of Everton, in every sense of the word. More comfortable than ever in this box-to-box role, very good recoverer, authoritarian in duels, lucid in his tackles and well inspired in his passes, as was the case against Tottenham with his two offerings, he is simply essential for the Toffees.
-Everton, son grand amour
“Well, I think his experience will be extremely useful for Evertonnotes David Moyes. I think he’s doing very well. For his age he covers all the ground, he does a lot of good things, so I think at this time we need a bit of experience to make sure we can try to get through all the difficult moments. » Beyond his qualities as an indisputable footballer, Idrissa Gueye is also an impeccable man in the Everton locker room, a team which will forever mark his long and successful career, he whose contract still expires at the end of the season.
“The club means a lot to me, I always give my best. They gave me the opportunity to play in the Premier League at a high level. They gave me the opportunity to sign for Paris Saint-Germain because we were playing well and I was playing well for the Club. They call me back when they need me and that’s why I come back to help the club get back to the next level. It’s a difficult time but this club means a lot to me, that’s why I’m giving my best. »he confided. Enough to extend his contract with the Toffees and extend his longevity in England but also in the Senegal National Team? It’s in his hands.
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