Amadou Onana’s entourage have admitted to Het Nieuwsblad that West Ham United’s £35 million target is holding out for a move to Premier League rivals Everton instead.
To outside observers, it might seem a little, well, odd that the 20-year-old Belgium U21 international is hoping to join the Toffees rather than the Hammers.
West Ham, after all, have spent the last two seasons punching well above their weight. They reached the Europa League semi-finals while sealing continental football once again for 2022/23.
As for Everton, the fact that their top-flight status was only secured on May 19th – thanks to the most dramatic of comeback victories over Crystal Palace – should tell you a lot about how last season went for them.
Amadou Onana wants Everton over West Ham
Lille accepted a £35 million bid from West Ham for Onana on Wednesday, according to The Sun. But, after Everton matched their offer, the 6ft 5ins enforcer is leaning heavily in the favour of Goodison Park.
“Amadou wants to go to Everton himself,” explains Onana’s representatives.
Delve a bit deeper and it seems there is some method to Onana’s perceived madness. Everton, after all, can offer him something West Ham cannot; Namely, regular first-team football.
If the one-time Liverpool target was to put pen to paper with the Hammers, he’d have to oust Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek before establishing himself as a key part of Moyes’ starting XI. Easier said than done, certainly.
Everton, in contrast, are likely to throw Onana straight in at the deep end. According to The Athletic, the men from Merseyside are prioritising a powerful, box-to-box midfielder. And the Senegal-born giant fits the bill for a club prioritising to up-and-coming youngsters with substantial re-sale value this summer.
Onana, while far from the finished article, should prove an immediate upgrade on Everton’s current options. The inconsistent Andre Gomes and the underwhelming Tom Davies, for instance. Fabian Delph, arguably Everton’s form midfielder in the final few months of last term, was released in July.
And, in Frank Lampard, Onana could soon be working with one of the finest midfielders of the 21st century. The Rote Duivels starlet is likely to slot in alongside Gueye and Abdoulaye Doucoure in a new-look engine room.
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