Everton midfielder Amadou Onana blew Micky Gray away with his play to beat Arsenal star Martin Odegaard. Saturday’s match came days after he rejected a transfer to the Gunners.
Arsenal travelled to Goodison Park to face Everton in Sean Dyche’s first match in charge of the Merseyside natives. He replaced Frank Lampard at the Toffees’ helm with the club just 19th in the Premier League table. While Mikel Arteta’s Gunners hit the road atop the tree.
Arteta sought a transfer with Everton for Onana in January to improve his title-contending Arsenal squad, though. The Daily Mail reported the Spaniard had the Belgian on his radar in response to missing out on Moises Caicedo. Brighton & Hove Albion refused to let him go.
Yet Ben Jacobs followed up the initial claims of Arsenal’s interest in a transfer and declared that Onana had no interest in leaving Everton. The midfielder chose to stay at Goodison as he only joined the Toffees back in August. He moved to the Blues from LOSC Lille for £33m.
Chelsea also targeted a last-gasp transfer for the 21-year-old. But, like with Arsenal, Onana turned down the offer to leave Everton already, per Foot Mercato. Stamford Bridge chiefs held talks with the four-cap international’s agent having marked Onana as a priority target.
Onana stuns Gray with his Everton display after rejecting a transfer to Arsenal
Everton would have wanted £50m from Arsenal or Chelsea to let Onana leave in a January transfer, 90min reported, as well. He is under contract at Goodison through to June 2027. Starting on Saturday also saw the Belgian open a 17th top-flight game from his 19 outings.
Gray also loved what the midfielder showed in the first half. Onana captivated the former England left-back after beating Odegaard to create a chance for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score. The midfielder went into the game with a goal and an assist in the league all season.
“Superb play from Onana,” Gray said on talkSPORT (04/04, 13:09). “He left Odegaard for dead. He can’t do more, Calvert-Lewin just needs to stretch.”
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