Sean Dyche addresses Amadou Onana’s best Everton position amid €2m transfer fee claim

Sean Dyche has insisted that he'll continue to be flexible with Amadou Onana's midfield position for Everton.

The Belgium international has featured in a slightly deeper role in the Toffees' past two games - impressing in victories over Brentford in the Premier League and Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup.

Onana, who joined Everton from Lille for £33.5 million in August 2022, has struggled for cast-iron consistency at Goodison Park. Yet he is still only aged 22 and remains a relative novice in terms of a Premier League performer.

Dyche, speaking ahead of the Blues' clash against Brentford tomorrow, believes that Onana's price tag has increased the demands placed on him. Asked by LiverpoolWorld about Onana's latest role as a number-six, the Everton supremo suggested the former Hamburger SV man is best utilised ‘slightly deeper’.

He said: "We've flexed that since I've been at the club. They've been the mainstay, mostly, of the three in midfield. We've looked at it, flexed it, one and a two, two and a one, and a flat three at times.

"More often than not, they've delivered. Amadou's young, he's learning, we want him to be open-minded about the difference in three roles. He's certainly got the physical capabilities to go into the 10 spot and crash the box from wide areas but his history suggests he's slightly better deeper.

"I thought him and Jimmy [Garner] were excellent last night, had good games at the weekend in slightly different roles and yet again, open-mindedness from two different players who are growing and maturing in the Premier League. It's the way the game has gone, people were remarking about it a few weeks ago. But I said: 'If that player was €2 million, everyone would say he's a young player see how he goes'. But put a big price on it, the demand goes up immediately. They're young in their true understanding of the Premier League, they have a massive future in front of them

"Him, Patto [Nathan Patterson], Jimmy amongst others still learning their way through the Premier League, it takes a while but they're learning their way through the Premier League and it takes a while to get that depth of knowledge but they're doing a very good job."