Arsenal and West Ham United are reportedly interested in Lille’s 20-year-old defensive midfielder Amadou Onana.
According to Foot Mercato, Lille could be open to offers for young midfielder Amadou Onana, with the Ligue 1 outfit needing to raise significant cash through player sales in the summer transfer window. Arsenal, West Ham United and AS Monaco could be interested in the 20-year-old.
Amadou Onana has attracted some interest from top clubs after a brilliant debut season for Lille. While he has not been an absolute starter, the 20-year-old has often proved a reliable option from the bench. While there is plenty for him to learn before becoming a bonafide regular, the player has many eyeballs from elsewhere.
Lille are in a precarious situation with their finances. Despite resisting tempting offers in January for some of their top stars, the Ligue 1 outfit may not hold back from accepting proposals in the summer. Their need to raise funds to balance their books seems to have taken precedence over everything else.
Some of the players who could be sold are Sven Botman, with Newcastle United and Aston Villa interested. Jonathan David is also attracting considerable interest, and now, Onana has become a sought-after figure. West Ham and Arsenal are reportedly keen on bringing the midfielder to England, and Lille may entertain a reasonable offer.
While Transfermarkt values Onana at £9 million, Lille will certainly look to get more from the current market, particularly from Premier League clubs. In the case of Arsenal, the Ligue 1 side will likely point towards the Gunners’ acquisition of Albert Sambi Lokonga last summer, who is of a similar age and profile as Onana, and will demand something similar or more.
Arsenal are looking at young talents in the market, and Onana’s extensive experience during the season makes him an attractive option. Mikel Arteta wants developing players, and the defensive midfield role is something Arsenal want to address.
West Ham, too, are looking to add quality depth to their midfield. Last season, David Moyes took too many risks by overusing Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek. His next best option in midfield was Mark Noble, who has called time on his career, meaning signing Onana would address this problem for West Ham.
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Onana will get plenty of game time with West Ham, unlike at Arsenal. The 20-year-old might be open to a move, although having signed just last year with Lille, he might be willing to stay put. However, if the Ligue 1 giants receive a reasonable offer, they might let him leave for financial reasons.