Amadou Onana has reportedly decided to stay at Everton this month despite being linked with a number of clubs including the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle. Onana has been widely tipped to leave Goodison Park before next week’s transfer deadline after emerging as one of the Toffees’ most important players.
The 22-year-old is said to be a target for Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta reportedly on the lookout for midfield reinforcements before the January window slams shut. Chelsea and Newcastle have also been credited with a desire to land Onana but it seems as though he will be going nowhere until at least the end of the season.
Onana has decided to stay at Everton in order to help Sean Dyche’s side avoid relegation to the Championship, according to Belgian outlet DH Les Sports. His stance on remaining at Goodison Park will come as a huge boost to the Toffees, who are yet to welcome a single January recruit.
Everton currently sit just one point above the Premier League’s drop zone after being handed a 10-point deduction for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules. They were recently hit with a second Financial Fair Play charge, meaning that another deduction could be on the cards when a verdict is eventually reached.
It seems that Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle will need to look elsewhere in their efforts to strengthen in midfield, with Onana no longer an option for them ahead of next week’s deadline. Arsenal have also been linked with a move for Real Sociedad ace Martin Zubimendi, who was targeted by the Gunners a year ago but ended up staying in Spain.
Former Arsenal ace Mikael Silvestre recently warned that Onana may not be good enough to improve their midfield to the level required to compete with Manchester City and Liverpool, saying: “He’s improved a lot. I’m not sure he’s at the level to improve the current squad.
“If you’re chasing the Premier League title with City and with Liverpool, I don’t think he’s fully ready to improve the midfield. He still has some work to do. Number one would be concentration. Sometimes he loses the ball too easily and his decision making is not 100 per cent there yet. It’s a bit too early for him to be a contender in midfield for Arsenal.”
Chelsea, meanwhile, are said to retain an interest in Onana after initially being linked with a move for his services in the summer. Newcastle have also been mentioned in connection with the Everton ace as a potential replacement for Joelinton, who is expected to miss the rest of the season with a long-term injury.
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