15 February 2024 , 02:00
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Amadou Onana swiftly rejected a January move amid interest from Arsenal, his agent has confirmed.
The Everton star was at the heart of plenty of interest in the winter window. Manchester United were touted as potential suitors, while the Gunners were contenders for his services.
However, Onana opted to stick around with his current club as they battle for Premier League survival. And it has now been revealed that an exit from Goodison Park was a realistic prospect in January but the former Lille midfielder was not interested in a mid-season switch.
His sister and agent Melissa is quoted saying via Sport Witness: “We could have left this winter, but we once again sat down and asked the question whether it’s the right time, if the player is ready. My job is to put opportunities on the table.
“In the end, he’s the one who makes the choice because it’s his life and his career. I put the opportunities on the table and he said ‘No, I want to stay at Everton and I want to continue to fight’.”
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While the player was not keen on a switch, Melissa was also not too enamoured with attempting to engineer a transfer in January due desperation in the winter market. She added: “I’m lucky that my brother is intelligent, which isn’t the case for all players, so I give him the pros and the cons of a situation that’s on the table.
“We talk about it, he asks me my opinion, and I say ‘this is what I think’. Then, he makes his choice. Personally, I’m also not a fan of transfers during the winter.
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“Often, it’s to put a stop to a bad situation. It’s clubs that are trying to turn a situation around after the transfers they did in the summer. They are clubs that are bleeding, trying to find a plaster.”
Since then, Onana has continued to be a key player in Everton’s attempt to stave off relegation from the Premier League under Sean Dyche. The nine-time Belgium international has made 25 appearances in all competitions for Everton this term and scored twice.
His contract at Goodison Park is set to run until the summer of 2027. Since joining Everton from French side Lille, he has racked up 60 appearances for the Toffees.
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