David Moyes has admitted that West Ham United ‘liked’ Amadou Onana before Premier League rivals Everton beat them to a £35 million deal for the Belgium international, speaking to Football London.
With the Hammers travelling to Goodison Park on Sunday, Onana has the perfect opportunity to show Moyes and co just what they are missing.
An Everton side who’s recruitment record certainly contains more ‘misses’ than ‘hits’ in recent years took an almighty gamble when taking a £35 million punt on a a 20-year-old with just 11 top-flight league starts under his belt.
But the former Lille enforcer is already repaying that investment with a series of all-action midfield performances; his dogged diligence helping keep Liverpool at arms’ length during the goalless Merseyside derby last time out.
Suddenly, with Onana, Conor Coady and James Tarkowski strengthening Everton’s previously paper-thin spine, the Toffees are starting to look like much sticker opposition.
Everton beat West Ham United to £35 million Amadou Onana
“They have not had as much money to rebuild as they have in the past,” Moyes, a former Everton boss. Points out. They have bought in Coady and Tarkowski. Onana, who we liked, as well.”
West Ham reportedly agreed a £35 million fee for Onana, who has been likened to Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira by Belgium boss Roberto Martinez, before the one-time Hamburg youngster put pen to paper with Everton instead.
The Hammers were allegedly reluctant to meet Onana’s £100,000-a-week wage demands.
“Onana; I was disappointed (West Ham) missed out on him,” former Upton Park hero Trevor Sinclair amitted recently. “6ft 4ins; a real physical presence. What I’ve seen of him at Everton, he looks the real deal.”
Onana should start against West Ham this weekend. And while the Toffees are claim a win so far, a tally of four draws from six games – with just six goals conceded along the way – is proof of just how much more solid and diligent this side have become since an impressive summer of recruitment.
“Frank (Lampard) is building his team,” Moyes adds. “And they’re going in a different direction.”
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