Everton Football Club’s prodigious midfielder Amadou Onana has attracted the attention of numerous clubs with his performances for the Blues this season, and could be set to leave Goodison Park after just one season.
That is according to reports on Dutch news outlet Nieuwsblad, who state that Arsenal are in ‘constant contact’ with the representatives of the 21-year-old.
It was always going to be a struggle to keep hold of such a sought after talent, and it seems that the Belgian international will depart regardless of whether Everton remain in the Premier League next season.
Indeed, Amadou Onana was heavily linked with a move away in January, and it seems rumours regarding his future will gather pace between now and the end of the season with the club reportedly placing a £61.5m valuation on the young star.
However, should the midfielder move away from Goodison Park, the significance of finding an adequate replacement cannot be underestimated.
Reinvestment from potential Onana sale would have to be spent wisely by Everton
Everton have been guilty of wasting money in recent years, particularly when seeking a replacement following the departure of a key player.
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The 2016 sale of defender John Stones to Manchester City for £47.5m saw Everton replace a 22-year-old rising star with an ageing Ashley Williams from Swansea City.
Indeed, Williams had had a solid career in south Wales, but was a disappointment during his time at Everton following his £12m move.
Similarly, the £75m sale of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United in 2017 saw Everton replace their attacking focal point with years-past-his-best Wayne Rooney, and Sandro Ramirez from Malaga, who failed to score a league goal for the Blues.
The January 2018 arrival of Cenk Tosun in a £27.5m deal from Besiktas wasn’t much better, as the Turkish international managed just nine league goals in 50 appearences for the Toffees.
The recent departure of Richarlison in a £60m deal with Spurs prompted Everton to sign Neal Maupay from Brighton for £15m, with the Frenchman scoring on just one occasion since his arrival last summer.
It already feels inevitable that Amadou Onana will leave Everton, but the importance of recruiting well this summer in search of his replacement will be paramount for Sean Dyche’s side.