Amadou Onana already ‘better on the ball’ than former Everton midfielder – Alex Witsel
Amadou Onana has been praised by Belgium teammate Alex Witsel for already being better than former Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini.
Onana was called up to the Belgium squad for the current international break after enjoying a superb start to the season with Everton.
The 21-year-old has impressed under Frank Lampard, and has clearly impressed Roberto Martinez also, with Onana handed a starting spot for the Red Devils against the Netherlands.
He has also caught the eye of his teammates, and when comparing Onana to Fellaini, Witsel insisted that the current Toffees midfielder has better technical ability.
“It went well with him,” Witsel told DH Net.
“Amadou is strong, generous and a good listener. He makes good runs defensively and he infiltrates well.
“He is a player who will be useful. An air of Fellaini? Yes, but Amadou is better on the ball than Marouane.”
Fulfilling potential
Onana is already becoming an established starter in the Premier League as well as for Belgium.
At 21, that’s some feat, and he still has so much more potential to fulfil.
The comparisons to Fellaini are understandable considering their physical similarities and ties to both Everton and Belgium, but the truth is that Onana has far more to his game.
In terms of being physical and winning duels, Fellaini was up there with his best and knew it was his strongest asset.
But Onana is far more multidimensional. Not only does he boast incredible height and strength, but his ability to spot a pass and dictate tempo is something Fellaini could sadly never manage at Goodison Park.
That’s not to say Onana has mastered any of it yet – in fact there’s plenty of room for improvement in his game. But being at Everton – under the tutelage of Frank Lampard – is the perfect place for him to unlock that potential.
There are very few managers who could teach Onana more about the art of being a midfielder. Lampard is as good as they come, and he’ll slowly but surely coach him into a top-class player.