Everton have reportedly beaten off huge interest from a number of Premier League rivals to sign KAS Eupen prodigy Henry Onyekuru.
At this stage, it’s quicker to list the teams who haven’t been linked with a move for Nigerian sensation Henry Onyekuru.
The KAS Eupen forward has looked destined to move to the Premier League for some time, but with who?
Arsenal were reportedly on the verge of bringing the 20-year-old, who wears his first name on the back of his shirt in homage to Thierry Henry, while West Ham, West Brom, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Liverpool and more have been linked in recent weeks.
Onyekuru even wears number 14, just like his idol Thierry Henry
However, it appears that Everton have now raced to the front of the queue to sign one of Europe’s most in-demand young players. Belgian publication Het Nieuwsblad report that Onyekuru’s agent is in England negotiating a deal with The Toffees for a player valued at around £7 million.
However, Everton supporters may be forced to wait to see Onyekuru, who scored 24 goals in all competitions last season, in action. Because the report adds that the intention is to loan the Aspire academy graduate out to Belgian giants Anderlecht for a season to ensure Onyekuru’s progression is aided by regular first-team football.
Yet, while Onyekuru will be far from Everton’s most expensive signing this summer, they paid well over £20 million each for Davy Klaassen and Jordan Pickford, the deal just highlights that Goodison Park is an increasingly attractive destination.
The club missed out on a number of their top targets last summer but the fact Everton appear to have lured Onyekuru amid huge Premier League interest seems like something of a watershed moment.
The youngster will know that opportunities for young players are rife under Ronald Koeman and the club’s desire to force their way into the Champions League will certainly capture the imagination of potential targets.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman
At this rate, Everton could be a force to be reckoned with in the very near future.
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