Arsenal 'closely monitoring' £60m Everton star after strong form this season

Arsenal are reportedly 'closely' monitoring Everton's Amadou Onana as they weigh up their midfield options ahead of the January transfer window.

Onana, 22, has been a key figure for Everton ever since arriving for £33m in 2022 and has started in 12 of his 13 appearances so far this season. His current deal expires in 2027 and while the club seem to have no plans to sell him, he has attracted interest from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and, most recently, Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta has options such as Declan Rice, Jorginho, Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey in midfield but with Partey managing just 341 minutes so far this season and worries over the ageing Jorginho, a younger midfielder has been earmarked as the next signing for Arsenal - and Onana more than fits the bill.

According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal are watching Onana closely as an alternative to Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz who has been linked as a serious target. With Villa demanding a fee close to £100m, Onana is deemed as a cheaper option at around £60m, according to reports.

In the summer, Onana was also targeted by Man United, before they settled on Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat and Chelsea also had the Belgian midfielder down as a target as they looked to add more quality to their ever-growing squad.

This season has seen Dyche utilise Onana alongside James Garner and Abdoulaye Doucoure and the outcome has been extremely strong; the trio are physical, capable of playing and have become the bedrock for which Everton have been able to take it to teams. However, it is clear Onana possesses great potential to develop into a very strong midfielder.