Newcastle tipped to make January move for £70m Everton star as Howe prepares for Tonali suspension
With Sandro Tonali facing a lengthy suspension, Newcastle are reportedly considering a move for Everton midfielder Amadou Onana in January.
Tonali is currently under investigation for allegations of betting infringements and as a result, Eddie Howe is likely to bring in a new centre-mid this winter.
Several names have been linked with a move to Newcastle recently. Man City’s Kalvin Phillips is one player Howe is keen on, for instance.
The England international has struggled for minutes since leaving Leeds United for the Cityzens and it’s thought that he is keen to move elsewhere to get more playing time ahead of the 2024 Euros.
Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos has also emerged as a potential option for the Magpies, so there is no doubt that Newcastle are looking at several midfielders at the moment.
It now seems, however, that Newcastle could make a move for Onana. The Belgium international is one of Everton’s best young players, however, so they will likely do everything they can to keep hold of him.
Newcastle ‘admire’ £70m Everton star
According to iNews, Newcastle’s preference would be to sign Phillips on loan, but if they are unable to sign the Man City star, they could make an approach for Onana, who they are ‘admirers’ of.
Everton signed the talented 22-year-old midfielder on a £33.5m deal in the summer of 2022. He has quickly become one of the Merseyside club’s most important players.
Onana has made 46 appearances for Everton to date, scoring one goal and making three assists in the process. Standing at 6ft4, he is an imposing figure on the pitch and his best role is in a defensive midfield position.
He could therefore be an ideal replacement for Tonali, so it will be interesting to see if Newcastle do make a move for him in January.
Previous reports suggest, however, that Everton value Onana at around £70m. Considering Sean Dyche has started the Belgian youngster in every Premier League match this season, he certainly won’t let him go easily.
With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Newcastle submit a big offer for Onana in January. As mentioned, though, Phillips is Howe’s preference as it stands.
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