Tactical Insights

Barcelona ‘contact’ £60m Arsenal target as Edu ‘makes calls’ to rivals amid Chelsea interest


Barcelona director Deco has made ‘contact’ with Arsenal and Newcastle United-linked Everton midfielder Amadou Onana, according to reports.

The 22-year-old Belgian international joined the Toffees from Lille for a fee in the region of £30million in August 2022.

He has impressed in a fairly poor Everton side under the management of Sean Dyche, who confirmed on Friday that Onana is in contention to play against Manchester City on Saturday after missing the last two matches.

“Amadou has been back out on the grass and we will pick the team accordingly,” said Dyche.

“But better signs and progress from the injured plays. Doucs (Abdoulaye Doucoure) is on the grass, not with us but he is making a good progress.”

Everton have some notable financial problems – which led to a points deduction this season – and Onana is one player who will fetch a good price.

READ MORE: Chelsea hijack Onana, Arsenal score left-back as Everton, Forest players cherry-picked after FFP breach

Arsenal were linked with the Belgian midfielder during his Lille days and remain in the picture.

Meanwhile, Newcastle were strongly linked in the winter transfer window and Manchester United are also reportedly keen.

However, it looks like La Liga champions Barcelona are also in the race, with their director of football Deco ‘contacting’ Onana’s representatives.

This is according to Spanish outlet Sport, where it is claimed that Deco is eager to recruit Onana ‘to strengthen the midfield’ and believes the Arsenal target is the ‘missing element’ in a team that needs his ‘consistency’.

The former Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder is looking for physically strong midfielders as opposed to more technical players that have been preferred by Xavi.

There is a slight ‘problem’ for Barcelona, though. They are aware that Everton will want to make a profit on their £30m purchase and are requesting £51.2m, which is out of the Blaugrana’s price range.

Everton have reportedly ‘received calls’ from Chelsea and ‘especially’ Arsenal director Edu Gaspar, with both sides interested in signing Onana from their Premier League rivals.

It is previously mentioned in the story that Onana ‘has offers from English clubs’, with a move to Barca ‘dependent’ on the player.

Should the Catalan giants wish to meet the Toffees’ valuation of the Belgian international, they will have to see one or two players, or ‘work miracles’, the report adds.

This means Deco has set a maximum price of £34m, which will surely not be enough unless Onana actively pushes for the move.

One player being linked with a Barca exit is former Leeds United winger Raphinha.

The Brazilian international has been linked with Tottenham and Chelsea, with the same outlet hinting he has four months to prove his worth at the Nou Camp.

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