The Belgian attracted plenty of interest in the January window (Pictures: Getty / Everton)
Amadou Onana has made it clear in no uncertain terms that he is totally committed to Everton despite Arsenal and Chelsea both enquiring about his availability in the January window.
Before returning with a Premier League record offer for Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea had briefly looked into the possibility of signing the Belgian midfielder instead – though ultimately managed to convince Benfica to sell their star man.
Similarly, Arsenal switched their attention to Onana after being rebuffed by Brighton over Moises Caicedo, though Everton were adamant he was not for sale and the Gunners signed Jorginho from Chelsea instead.
But the 21-year-old showed both clubs what they had missed out on with a very impressive and all-action display in the Toffees’ 1-0 victory over Arsenal at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Following his superb display – in which he routinely broke up play and burst forward – Onana thumped the Everton crest on his shirt and underlined his desire to continue at the club.
As he left the pitch and came down the Goodison Park tunnel, Everton’s cameras captured him yelling: ‘I ain’t f***ing going nowhere! I’m f***ing here!’
Although Onana received plenty of plaudits for his performance against Arsenal, new boss Sean Dyche was a little more restrained and says he still has a lot to work on.
Speaking after the win over the league leaders, Dyche said of his midfield dynamo: ‘He’s got a lot to learn. I think he’s a talent, obviously.
‘The ugly side of the game he’s got to learn. I had a very similar process, which I spoke to him about, we had a bit of fun with him and Idrissa [Gueye] and Douc [Abdoulaye Doucoure] and I said I’m getting you to speak to Steven Defour. So I said we’ll be doing that.
‘He said, “Steven Defour I know who that is” and I said, “Yes so do I, we’ll be speaking to him next week and he’ll teach you about what the requirements in the Premier League are”.
‘Because he’s a young man who is learning. He’s come in here with real talent, fantastic physically. We’ll get him fitter, sharper, and I’ll teach him the ugly side of the game and teach him to be a more complete player.
‘He’s got a lot on offer, but there’s still a long way to go for him in my belief in order to be a complete player. And there’s a long way to go for him.
‘Steven will help me educate him. Well respected international footballer for Belgium. He’ll rub off on him. And I’ve told him if he doesn’t, I’ll rub off on him.’
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‘I ain’t f***ing going nowhere! I’m f***ing here!’
