Agent confirms Arsenal, Chelsea approaches for dynamic Prem ace amid stunning £350m claim

Pedro Neto of Wolves and Amadou Onana of Everton

Amadou Onana is in line to depart Everton this summer

The agent of Everton star Amadou Onana has confirmed he could have achieved a transfer in the January window, effectively confirming concrete interest from Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea.

Everton chiefs have been hugely impressed by the towering central midfielder since he joined the club from Lille in August 2022. Onana has proven himself to be a very reliable performer, even when Everton are going through a tough spell.

However, the Toffees are at growing risk of losing him. Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that ‘all of the big six’ have made initial contact with Onana’s entourage after being impressed by his great performances in the Premier League.

Everton may also struggle to meet Onana’s lofty ambitions. They are waiting to discover whether their appeal against a 10-point deduction has been successful, while there has been talk of a second penalty owing to Financial Fair Play issues.

If Everton are relegated to the Championship then they will simply have to sell their best players, and Onana would be one of the first to go.

While the 22-year-old has emerged on the radars of all of the big six, Arsenal and Chelsea are the teams who have shown the most interest in landing him. Indeed, it was recently claimed that the two London clubs are ‘in talks’ over signing Onana.

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Onana’s sister and agent Melissa has now revealed the Belgium international had the opportunity to leave Goodison Park last month, seemingly confirming Arsenal and Chelsea’s approaches for him.

“We could have left this winter, but we once again sat down and asked the question whether it’s the right time, if the player is ready. My job is to put opportunities on the table,” the representative said during a recent interview (via Sport Witness).

Amadou Onana rejects Arsenal, Chelsea interest

“In the end, he’s the one who makes the choice because it’s his life and his career. I put the opportunities on the table and he said ‘No, I want to stay at Everton and I want to continue to fight’.”

She went on to slam January transfers, claiming such moves are simply a club ‘trying to find a plaster’.

“I’m lucky that my brother is intelligent, which isn’t the case for all players, so I give him the pros and the cons of a situation that’s on the table. We talk about it, he asks me my opinion, and I say ‘this is what I think’. Then, he makes his choice,” Melissa Onana added.

“Personally, I’m also not a fan of transfers during the winter. Often, it’s to put a stop to a bad situation. It’s clubs that are trying to turn a situation around after the transfers they did in the summer. They are clubs that are bleeding, trying to find a plaster.”

While Everton fans will be extremely disappointed to see Onana leave, the club will at least make a big profit on his sale. Everton spent £33m when initially signing the player, with his value now sitting at somewhere between £50-70m.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Everton view Romeo Lavia’s £58m transfer from Southampton to Chelsea as a marker for what Onana may be worth.

Onana could be one of several top players to arrive at Chelsea in the summer, as Ben Jacobs has revealed that the Blues can spend another £350m if they sell five players.

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