Amadou Onana

Amadou Onana signed for Everton for a fee of up to £33.5 million from Lille.

“He is a leader, a young man who is already affecting others in the dressing room. But what’s already there, as a player, is leadership and captain material he brings to Everton.” “Sometimes, he reminds you of a young Patrick Viera in the way he can drive with the ball.

The Senegal midfielder looks set for a return to Merseyside three years after leaving for £30million.

Conor Coady looks set for a place in the first-team squad at the weekend following his loan move from Molineux. The 32-year-old is expected to be announced as a Toffees player soon. Gueye’s much-anticipated return to Merseyside - for a fraction of the £30million he was sold for in 2019 - will be completed in the coming days, according to reports.

Everton confirmed the signing of Amadou Onana from Lille yesterday, and Idrissa Gana Gueye has reacted to the announcement.

James Tarkowski and Conor Coady at the back are really good additions. He now has a huge job on his hands, but his signings so far, at least on paper, look good. The Toffees had a season to forget last time around.

Everton have finally announced the signing of Amadou Onana, with the defensive midfielder prioritizing his move to Merseyside over London's West Ham United. The ...

However, Gana Gueye’s return to Goodison Park will definitely mark his shortcomings but with Premier League’s jam-packed schedule and three subs rule now changed to five substitutes, Onana will turn out to be a prominent squad member. Although his passing and dribbling abilities aren’t his best traits – his contribution in both halves of the pitch cannot be understated. Whether we want to play with two sixes, or a six and two eights, he can do all of those positions.” He has experienced playing as No.6 in a double pivot and as No.8 in a 4-3-3 and has been outstanding in both these positions. Onana moved to Lille from Hamburger SV in 2021 at the age of nineteen making 31 appearances for the French club during his time and alongside their Canadian striker Jonathan David, they turned out to be the only shining light to their otherwise mediocre squad. Lille had initially agreed a fee of 33 million pounds with West Ham, but with Onana having his heart on the Toffees, all Everton had to do was match West Ham’s offer.

Roberto Martinez has praised Amadou Onana after the Belgian midfielder completed a big-money move to Everton this week.

“I am sure that the manager at Everton will use him in a more defensive role, or he can even be more of a box-to-box player, where he really uses his physicality. He has got this incredibly maturity that is not normal to have at such a young age.” Off the ball, he is one of the most impressive young players with his capacity without the ball, the intensity, the way he can press, and then it’s that arrival into the box, sometimes he reminds you of a young Patrick Vieira in the way that he can drive with the ball.” “Really exciting footballer,” said Martinez. “I know that sometimes when we speak about players, it’s very difficult to measure their potential. I think this footballer is quite unique in the way he is as a character; he is a leader, even as a young man, he is affecting others in the dressing room. “He’s got the physicality and the presence of a player that the Everton fans know very well in Marouane Fellaini. He can become anything in that central area, so I can understand the excitement around Everton – this is one of the most exciting prospects in European football at this present time.”

Everton finally completed the signing of Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana on Tuesday (9 August) and he could make his debut against Aston Villa.

He has captain material.” “It would be a shame to only speak about his technical ability. “He becomes a coach on the pitch and has that maturity and the manager can use him as a defensive role or as a box-to-box midfielder.

Roberto Martinez hails Everton's new signing Amadou Onana as one of 'most talented' stars for his age in all of European football.

"Amadou is someone who wants to develop, wants to grow and I'm sure that relationship with the manager and being able to talk in a very direct way has been a massive pull. But what's already there is the leadership and the captain material that he brings to Everton." The manager at Everton can use him in a more defensive role or as a box-to-box where he can really use his physicality on the ball. "He's a leader who, already as a young man, has affected the others in the dressing room. It would be a shame if we speak only about his technical and tactical abilities, I think this footballer is quite unique in the way he is as a character. "That's how excited we are in Belgium. He's someone who's already played in two major leagues, in Germany and France, he joined Lille for a big fee already.

Everton turned a lot of heads earlier this week when they signed 20-year-old defensive midfielder Amadou Onana from Lille for £33.5 million.

He never hides, he asks for the ball and he dares. If Lampard wants his new signing to get forward then he may find more weaknesses. He will still be a player to watch, though, and he has the potential to establish himself as one of the league's most exciting young midfielders. He did score once in the league last year, and was capable of a few tidy assists last season. He was dribbled past less than once every 90 minutes for Lille last season and tackles with his own style, often sliding in with his near leg to poke the ball away from an attacking, rather than sliding across with the far leg in the traditional style. As Onana prepares for a start to life in Premier League football, Sportsmail takes a closer look at his journey in the game so far.