Everton’s £50 million-rated midfielder Amadou Onana insists his proposed move to Manchester United is ‘not a missed opportunity’ as the Premier League giants opt to bring in Sofyan Amrabat instead.
According to The Telegraph, Sofyan Amrabat was always Erik ten Hag’s number one choice to fill the role vacated by Fred earlier in the summer.
And even if he wasn’t, the all-action Moroccan would certainly have been a lot more attainable than Amadou Onana for a Manchester United side whose Financial Fair Play limitations give the impression of a construction company trying to build a mansion with a B&Q gift card.
Manchester United finally sign Sofyan Amrabat
United, The Guardian say, approached Everton to enquire about Onana’s availability. The rangy Belgian is valued at a minimum of £50 million, however; an asking price which only strengthened Ten Hag’s resolve to bring in Amrabat instead on an eventual loan-to-buy deal.
Onana, however, insists that he is losing no sleep over the prospect of another few months treading water at the wrong end of the Premier League table.
“It’s not at all a missed opportunity,” the former Lille starlet tells Le Soir. “In football, it’s all about timing. You have to be patient.
“And, in the meantime, I will continue to play football at Everton. A mythical club. I am very satisfied.”
Chelsea also looked at Onana before investing over £100 million on bringing in Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo from Southampton and Brighton and Hove Albion respectively.
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This towering, 6ft 4ins stallion of a midfielder may not have to wait too long for one of the Premier League powerhouses to come knocking again, however.
Amadou Onana may be back on United’s radar next year
Scott McTominay is unlikely to have a future at Man United beyond 2024. At 31, meanwhile, Casemiro is not getting any younger.
The long-awaited addition of Amrabat should, at least, ease the pressure on an ageing Brazilian who has often resembled a one-man army trying to defend his castle from a veritable horde at times this season.
“Sofyan Amrabat, we believe, (will) go in there alongside Casemiro. They want to buy Amrabat for a reason,” Gary Neville told Sky Sports after that highly-fortuitous 1-0 win over Wolves on the opening weekend.
“One thing that Ten Hag is not going to do is go back to the likes of Fred and Scott McTominay, who he believes are technically not good enough on the ball. He wants everybody in the team to be able to accept the football and receive it.
“Amrabat; He is a passer of the ball and can sit in there alongside Casemiro.”