Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Everton midfielder Amadou Onana during this winter transfer window but face complications due to FFP regulations.
The Gunners have had a damaging few weeks, highlighting the shortcomings that still exist in their promising project. As well as the apparent need for a striker in this transfer window, they would also benefit from the arrival of a central midfielder. That being said, the North London side are keeping tabs on the Everton midfielder Andre Onana.
But according to INews, Everton have slapped a £60m price tag on Amadou Onana’s head amid interest from Arsenal. Despite interest from several clubs including Arsenal, there has been no contact or talks with any of the Belgium midfielder’s potential suitors.
Manchester United and Chelsea have expressed an interest in signing Onana while Newcastle United are also understood to be tracking his situation at Goodison Park. Arsenal have been hamstrung by potential Financial Fair Play restrictions and must sell players before signing players this month, the report adds.
Amadou Onana to Arsenal—Should Mikel Arteta contemplate a move?
Amadou Onana, 22, has impressed in a much-improved Sean Dyche’s Everton side this season, bagging a goal in 16 Premier League appearances. The Belgium international, who is only 22, would be a fantastic long-term replacement for the injury-prone Thomas Partey—both in the short-term and for years to come. He is a strong, tall, tenacious and combative presence on the pitch with good technical skills on the ball, and as demonstrated at Everton since arriving from Lille in 2022, the midfielder is not shy to compete with the best in the Premier League.
Onana would perfectly fit the mould of signings that the Gunners have made in the last few years under Mikel Arteta. However, it is very unlikely that Arsenal will be able to meet Everton’s £60m demands for Onana due to financial constraints. And with the lack of goals currently the biggest concern at the Emirates Stadium, Arteta perhaps would rather see any money spent on a new striker.
Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah have struggled to score goals consistently, while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have suffered a dip in form of late. A lack of goals have immensely hurt Arteta’s side in the past few weeks, with the Gunners dropping from the summit to fourth in the Premier League table. If the Arsenal board make funds available, Arteta definitely needs to sign a prolific goalscorer to add more attacking threat to his goal-shy side.
Thus, for now, a prospective move for Onana should be pushed until the summer transfer window as signing a top goalscorer needs to be prioritised over a central midfielder by Arteta and Arsenal.
