Sky Sports: Everton to announce Amadou Onana Monday, want him ready for Aston Villa
Everton are expected to announce the signing of Amadou Onana on Monday evening (8 August) and want him ready for the next game, Sky Sports are reporting.
The 20-year-old sensation was in the crowd at Goodison Park to see his new side go down 1-0 to Chelsea on Saturday (6 August), and his big-money move from Lille is expected to be made official imminently.
The Toffees will be looking to bounce back from their opening defeat when they face Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa on Saturday (13 August), and it looks like the big midfield talent is going to be in their ranks to do so.
Speaking on the Transfer Show on Sky Sports News on Monday evening, Dharmesh Sheth said of Onana: “He’s had his medical. That deal we think will be announced at some point today. That’s come from my colleague Alan Myers.
“It’s £33.5million this deal, and he’s likely to figure against Aston Villa over the weekend. They hope to get it all done.”
Formidable
After beating West Ham to sign the Belgian international this is a deal that fans have been waiting to see get over the line for a few days now.
He wasn’t ready in time for the game against Chelsea, although striker and now defence are probably bigger issues, but his presence should be a boost to the team for the next game.
His arrival has put a far more exciting slant on the transfer business this summer, especially with Idrissa Gueye and Conor Coady joining at the same time.
They’ve had to leave it late but things are happening at Everton, and while it would have been far better to get it done early, it is better late than never.
Onana looks like he could become one of Europe’s leading talents in midfield, having developed from the second tier in Germany to the Premier League and a full international in just two seasons in senior football.
But as he is relatively inexperienced it will take the know-how of manager Frank Lampard, and the returning Gueye to ensure he progresses according to plan.
If he can make an impact this season it would be a major boost to the fanbase, and if that could be against Villa at the weekend he will become a favourite instantly.
The club badly needs help at striker and it also looks like that will be next on the agenda.