Amadou Onana is Everton’s 6ft 5ins tackling machine hailed as ‘one of the most talented youngsters in Europe’ by Roberto Martinez who will wear No.8 as a tribute to LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and broke into the Belgium team at just 20
- Everton have signed 20-year-old midfielder Amadou Onana for £33.5m
- He played his first season of top-flight football for Lille last season
- A defensive midfielder, he impressed with his tackling, pace and strength
- Roberto Martinez gave Onana his Belgium debut and heaped praise on him
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.
After a window that had seen them bring in proven but uninspiring players such as Connor Coady and James Tarkowski, the arrival of a midfielder with just 32 games off top flight-experience seemed like an uncharacteristic gamble.
Frank Lampard isn’t alone in seeing promise in Onana though, as Roberto Martniez has already given the starlet an international debut for Belgium.
Amadou Onana has joined Everton for £33.5 million after a year in Ligue 1 with Lille
‘He’s a strong personality. He never hides, he asks for the ball and he dares. He is one of the most talented young players in Europe’ Martinez said after the game, strong praise from a man who has managed the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Axel Witsel and Youri Tielemans.
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.
What’s his story?
Onana was born in Dakar, Senegal, but started his career as a youth player at Anderlecht before played for various Belgian clubs as a youngster.
He first played senior football with Hoffenheim II before establishing himself at Hamburger SV in Germany’s second division.
Roberto Martinez called him ‘one of the most talented young players in Europe’
After a season in Germany, the midfielder joined Lille last summer, where he made just 13 starts across Ligue 1 and the Champions League but was regularly used off the bench.
Following his move to Everton, Onana said he chose the number eight for his shirt after his idol Kobe Bryant. He said: ‘His work ethic and the way he was inspired me so I’m happy to have that number at Everton.’
How does he play?
The real plus with Onana is his tackling.
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.
The 20-year-old is also able to recover from slides quickly, and frequently hangs on to the ball for a forward pass rather than kicking it out of play.
He is aided in this by his pace, which will allow him to match some of the Premier League’s quickest midfielders this year.
The midfielder has a unique tackling style that seems him slide in with his near foot
English fans may remember Onana from his battle with N’golo Kante in the Champions League last season, where the younger midfielder largely kept his opposite number out of the tie with some crisp tackles, although he could not stop Lille from losing 4-1 on aggregate across the two legs.
His height also makes him a tough opponent in aerial duels, while his Kante-esque workrate makes him a promising all-round defensive player.
If Lampard wants his new signing to get forward then he may find more weaknesses. Onana is reasonably good on his feet and looks an accurate enough passer, but he lacks awareness and vision at times, which is understandable from such a young player.
He did score once in the league last year, and was capable of a few tidy assists last season.
What can we expect this season?
It will be interesting to see how often Lampard plays his new midfielder, as he has never played a season of top-tier football as a regular starter.
Frank Lampard is looking to sign another midfielder in former Evertonian Idrissa Gueye
Everton are also close to bringing Idrissa Gueye back to the club, who could set an example for Onana as a player who knows the position, the league and the club well.
The Belgian starlet did say upon signing that working with a legendary midfielder in manager Frank Lampard was a draw for him, explaining that: ‘the manager was one of the big reasons.
‘He played at the highest level, won many things and was a midfielder, too. It means a lot to have interest from him and I think he can teach me many things.’
It seems likely that Onana will be bedded in slowly, especially seeing as his five-year-contract positions him as a long-term investment rather than an immediate impact player.
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.
