Everton respond to Barcelona move for Amadou Onana as Manchester United and Arsenal can pay fee
Everton have already sent word to Barcelona’s representatives that they are not interested in lowering the asking price for Amadou Onana, according to SPORT.
The Catalan outlet reported via their website on 26 February that the Camp Nou giants want to pay €40million [£34.2m] for the Belgian star whereas the Toffees want €60m [£51.3m].
That has left sporting director Deco needing to come up with an alternative solution to convince Everton to do business, with a Barcelona player being included in a cash-plus-player swap deal a possible option to get it done.
The La Liga giants Barca are struggling in the race since Arsenal and Manchester United are also interested in the 22-year-old, and both are reportedly able to pay the Toffees’ asking price.
Barcelona could send player to Everton to tip balance in Amadou Onana transfer race
It is incredibly wishful thinking on Deco’s part if he thinks €40m will be enough to land the Everton star, whether by convincing the club to part with him or beating transfer rivals.
Were the former Lille man to leave there might be something to the idea of sending him out of the Premier League in order to not face him in opposition.
But in the event that he is sold it would surely mean that the club can’t be too picky about the destination when maximum compensation is the priority.
However, Onana has routinely been sized up for a move away ever since he arrived at Goodison Park two summers ago so if Sean Dyche can steer the club to top flight safety once more, which has become more likely with the return of four points but is certainly not guaranteed with a second hearing on the way, perhaps the midfielder goes nowhere.
Spending fell off a cliff in January after last summer’s spree but is expected to pick up again at the end of the season, so with Arsenal having spent £105m on Declan Rice from West Ham [Sky Sports, 17 July] and Chelsea agreeing to as much as £115m for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo [Guardian, 14 August] the idea that Onana moves for less than £35m looks absurd.
In other Everton news, a new ASAP demand has been issued by a Parliament chair in instance reaction to the appeal verdict coming out.
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