Amadou Onana reportedly wants to quit Everton as he is unhappy at the club amid interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.
According to Het Nieuwsblad, Amadou Onana wants to quit Everton in the summer and move to a bigger side. There is considerable interest from top teams like Arsenal and Chelsea. But the Belgian international is more of an alternative target for those London giants.
It was a testing season for Everton and their players. After enduring a relegation fight in 2021/22, the Merseysiders hoped to have a stronger campaign than before, but it was all the same. The Toffees barely survived the drop by a small margin despite a decent investment last summer.
Amadou Onana was among those who signed for the Toffees last summer in a €35 million deal. The Belgian midfielder was a key cog for then-manager Frank Lampard, but he could not fit the system well. He also somewhat struggled for relevance under Sean Dyche, although his head must have turned amid interest in the January transfer window.
Arsenal and Chelsea were among the teams linked with Onana in January. Both teams sought a new midfielder to improve their chances in the league, but none came in with a concrete approach to Everton for the Belgian midfielder.
Those clubs are still interested as the search for a new midfielder continues. Onana knows that and is now eager to quit Everton to join one of the top teams in the division. There is no reported interest from abroad, but Arsenal and Chelsea consider him a high-quality alternative.
Onana has his merits after a strong season, personally. He is also a concrete starter for the Belgium national side, making him an important transfer target. Yet, Arsenal and Chelsea have other priorities in the market.
Everton are reportedly seeking much more than the €35 million they paid to sell Onana. Owing to their financial situation, a few sales of their top players remain on the cards, with Onana their prized asset of the lot. The Gunners are prioritising a move for Declan Rice and are inching closer to signing the West Ham star.
Meanwhile, if there was a pecking order of interested midfielders, then Romeo Lavia is ahead, with Arsenal advancing the move for him. Mikel Arteta would need another midfielder if Thomas Partey also departs alongside Granit Xhaka. Lavia seems like the preferred option ahead of the Everton star.
Similarly, Chelsea are not chasing Onana on priority, as they have set sights on Moises Caicedo as their No.1 target. Any deal for the Ecuadorian seems tricky owing to Brighton’s huge asking price. The Everton star thus becomes a solid second-choice alternative.
If Everton put him up for sale and the Belgian midfielder gets his wish to leave, then the price tag would matter. Clubs could come in with approaches if they feel the asking price is favourable. Liverpool and Manchester United are also in the market for a new midfielder.
