The Belgian international has swiftly established himself in the Premier League, playing an important role in both Sean Dyche’s and Frank Lampard’s sides as Everton fought to keep their spot in the top flight in recent years.
However, excellent performances are noted by other teams, and while there was interest in the 22-year-old during the summer transfer window, no bids eventually materialised, assuring Dyche would keep a crucial member of his midfield at least until the new year.
However, Onana’s time at Everton may be coming to an end, with Newcastle United interested in signing the former Lille midfielder as a replacement for Sandro Tonali, who was involved in the Italian betting scandal [iNews, 23 October].
Because of financial fair play concerns, the Toffees may be forced to sell when the January transfer window opens, and their projected takeover by 777 Partners is in doubt as investigations continue to assess whether the American investment firm is proper owners.
The Daily Mail stated on Wednesday (25 October) that Tonali is due to get a 10-month ban from football, which will be confirmed following Newcastle’s Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund.
The midfielder will miss the rest of the 2023/24 season, the European Championships this summer, and the first few weeks of next season’s Premier League, requiring Eddie Howe’s side to hunt for a replacement.
It remains to be seen whether Newcastle will pursue Onana, but it appears doubtful that Everton will be able to reject down a large sum from Howe’s side if they seek to the Belgian to cover Tonali during his suspension.
The only ray of hope for Dyche and Everton supporters may be that the Italian midfielder is only out for 10 months, rather than the originally projected three years.
As a result, Newcastle may seek to a loan signing to give interim cover rather than paying a high sum for a permanent replacement who may not be needed until his ban expires.
With the ban certain to be confirmed sooner rather than later, Everton will likely find out in the coming weeks whether Newcastle is serious about signing Onana and whether they can afford to keep him at Goodison Park.
