With news that Everton have finally sacked Frank Lampard, the vultures are circling the Merseyside corpse. Who among the current squad is worth poaching? With the Toffees looking to stave off relegation for the first time since 1931, it’s quite possible that they’ll be looking to sell of some assets to be reinvested in reinvigorating the squad during the run-in. Amadou Onana, the 21 year old Belgian would tick off quite a few boxes—young, versatile, desired by Chelsea—and he could very well offer some depth and rotation to a squad eagerly awaiting all of that and more. What would it take to pry the defensive midfielder away from Everton, who are circling the drain?

Reports suggest that his current transfer value hovers around the £30m, Onana could offer cover for Partey and Xhaka as well, two positions vulnerable to injury. Yes, he’s a bit raw, but Arteta has shown time and time again that he can make a silk purse from a sow’s ear. While we continue to monitor Declan Rice’s position, he seems like a summer target, all the more so since West Ham finally found a way to actually win a match…against none other than Onana’s Everton. The El Sackico lived up to its name, with Lampard getting el sack and Moyes surviving for at least anothe week.

As such, it’s the Evertonian corpse we’re currently circling, not that we’ll ignore the Ironian (?) one. Signing Onana now doesn’t preclude us from signing Rice in later. In fact, with Xhaka having turned 30 and Partey reaching the same milestone in June, midfield reinforcements are a high priority. Lokonga has yet to convince, and there are rumours that Elneny might be on his way off to the retirement pasture otherwise known as the Turkish Süper Lig. In other words, that central midfield is a high priority for reinforcement if not outright overhaul. 

Let’s say we make a summer-move for Rice. Such a move might very well cost in excess of £100m, but that seems to be the what the market will bear these days. Rice could offer cover and competition for both Xhaka and Partey. That would sort us out there for the next five years. However, there is a need for cover, if not competition, now, and that could be where Onana comes in. Unlike Lokonga, he’s shown himself to be more or less Prem-proven, having been thrown into the midst of the burning dumpster fire that is Everton’s season, and he’s acquitted himself fairly well, at least well enough to be worth a look if not an actual punt.

Let’s say we can secure his services at £30m. In today’s market, that’s walking-around money. That is roughly double what we paid for an unproven Lokonga. Still, it’s one thing to pay £15m for Lokonga, whose experience at Anderlecht, perenneial front-runners in the Belgian Pro League, ill-prepared him for the Prem. It’s quite another to consider paying twice that for Onana, whose experience thus far at Everton, perennial relegation-stragglers in the Prem, may have better-prepared him for the rigours of what we expect. 

News that Chelsea are interested in Onana is almost enough on its face to convince to say “sign him” if only out of spite. £30m, even £40m, is a pittance. He’s shown that he’s just as good if not better than Lokonga and Elneny, and signing him would be a smooth move that leaves us enough funds to get Rice in the summer. Imagine that double-swoop.