It has been a turbulent week for Everton as the club were docked ten points for breaching Financial Fair Play rules which is the heaviest punishment in Premier League history, following Portsmouth's nine points deduction in March 2010.
The Toffees sentence came after the club had been found guilty of recording losses greater than the £105m over three years permitted by the Profit and Sustainability Rules, leading to an outcry from Leicester City, Leeds United and Burnley who have all threatened to sue in a £300m lawsuit.
The ruling from an independent commission has left Sean Dyche's side second from bottom in the table now. With an appeal to take place and further litigation to battle against lawsuits, the Merseyside club could commence a fire sale in January, causing the manager to lose his best players.
One star in particular could be on his way out of Goodison Park this January.
Everton star could leave Merseyside
According to the Daily Express, via TEAMtalk, Manchester United are looking to take advantage of Everton's FFP misery by taking Amadou Onana to Old Trafford this winter, just eighteen months after the midfielder joined the club.
The report claims that Erik ten Hag is hoping the Belgium international – who is valued at £50m – can add balance to United's midfield this term, particularly with Casemiro and Christian Eriksen set to be sidelined for the remainder of the year.
Onana was a key player for Everton last season in the club's fight to stay in the Premier League, having signed in the summer of 2022 for £33m under Frank Lampard and featured 33 times in the top flight in his debut campaign.
The Belgian has played a vital role once more under Dyche this term and teammate Arnaut Danjuma has even described the 22-year-old as playing "like an octopus" due to his ability to always reclaim the ball when tackling. Meanwhile, Hamburg's sporting director Jonas Boldt claimed that the 6 foot 4 midfielder has the "perfect" qualities needed to reach the top level.
Amadou Onana's stats this season
Onana is not the type of midfielder to get eight to ten goals a season. In fact, the former Lille star has scored just nine goals in 124 appearances in his professional career. However, the Everton general is incredibly versatile and can play in a handful of different positions, having had experience as a centre-back, a defensive midfielder, a number '10' and even one game up top, according to Transfermarkt.
Furthermore, Transfermarkt have ranked Onana as the tenth most expensive number '6' in the world and Everton's most valuable player, while his market value has increased by £17.5m since moving to Goodison Park eighteen months ago. It's safe to say despite his lofty valuation, this is someone the Toffees cannot afford to lose.
The former Hoffenheim starlet has been impressing statistically when compared to all holding midfield players across Europe's top-five leagues, ranking in the top 5% for aerial duels per 90, the top 20% for expected assisted goals per 90 and the top 1% for passes blocked per 90. Additionally, Onana's data is most comparable to AS Roma's Bryan Cristante, as per FBref's player comparison model.
Onana has been Everton's most influential midfielder this season and comparing his stats to the rest of the midfielders Dyche has available proves why it is imperative that the club keep hold of him beyond January.
Progressive Passes
5
3.03
3.47
2.87
Passes To Final 1/3
3.82
2.57
3.3
2
Pass Completion %
84.1
72.8
86.3
80.1
Expected Assists
0.09
0.16
0.05
0.07
Progressive Carries
0.88
1.19
2
2.26
Switches
0.69
0.37
0.13
0
Tackles Won
1.57
1.47
1.87
1.13
Final 1/3 Tackles
0.59
0.37
0.67
0.26
Stats via FBref
While Onana may not be as impactful in the final third as some of Everton's other midfielders, he is the key for Dyche's side to progress up the pitch but to also regain possession once the ball is lost.
Indeed, losing the Belgian to Manchester United could have greater ramifications than any points deduction. They are still well in the fight to stay up but losing their best player could condemn any hopes.