Everton keeping Amadou Onana was their best piece of January business despite transfer failure
Everton’s successful attempts to keep Amadou Onana at Goodison Park during the transfer window was their best piece of January business despite their failure to sign players.
The Toffees were desperately scrambling on the last day of the transfer window to add to new manager Sean Dyche’s squad, especially following the sale of Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United for a fee of around £45m [Sky Sports, 30 January].
Fans were left disappointed and enraged at the club board that the club did not add to Dyche’s squad at the end of transfer window, and could well have ended the window with two of their top stars sold to fellow Premier League clubs.
Onana, who joined the Toffees for a fee of around £33.5m from LOSC Lille last summer and has quickly become a crucial player in such a short space of time under Frank Lampard, was subject to plenty of offers from English top-flight clubs.
Chelsea made an offer that included multiple loan players moving the other way which was rejected by the 21-year-old [Telegraph, 26 January], citing that he wanted to help the Toffees out of their difficult position under the new manager.
According to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs, the midfielder told suitors he wanted to stay at Goodison Park and aid Dyche’s charge against relegation.
Writing in his latest takeover of Fabrizio Romano’s Substack column for Caught Offside on Monday (30 January) CBS journalist Jacobs said: “We know midfielders are on Arsenal’s radar. Amadou Onana has indicated to all suitors that have enquired that, having only joined Everton in the summer, he would still prefer to stay and see how the club pans out under expected new manager Sean Dyche.”
With fans desperately calling for quality in the squad, they can be rest assured knowing that Onana is the man to help them achieve their ambitions this season.
The 21-year-old was superb in the win over his interested suitor Arsenal on Saturday [4 February], their first win in the Premier League in 11 games – since October.
The Belgian proved just how crucial he is and will be to Dyche’s side showcasing his tremendous dynamism, energy, ball-carrying skills and aggression. He was deservedly awarded the player-of-the-match by the Toffees faithful and his stats from his 90 minutes highlighted just how pivotal he was to his side’s deserved and much-needed win.
The former Lille man won six of his ten ground duels, won two of his four aerial duels, completed two of his long balls and successfully completed one dribble, whilst registering two key passes.
Onana was absolutely everywhere on the pitch, winning the duels in his own half whilst proving a decisive presence in the final third.
With Dyche’s squad desperately lacking in quality following Gordon’s sale, keeping Onana at the club will certainly be the decisive factor providing they manage to escape the dreaded relegation come May.
And considering the player’s matured and sensational performances so far this campaign, that decision seems to be a masterstroke one for the Toffees, and could yet be deemed as their best piece of business during the window.