Arsenal want to sign Amadou Onana in the January transfer window as Mikel Arteta plans to improve midfield options and unlock their record signing Declan Rice

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Kai Havertz of Arsenal crosses the ball whilst under pressure from Amadou Onana of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Arsenal FC at Goodison Park on September 17, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Is Amadou Onana Related To Andre Onana?

Arsenal are exploring a potential deal to sign Amadou Onana, football.london understands. The Belgian international has played 21 games for Everton this season scoring twice and assisting once but these aren’t the reasons the Gunners are after him.

Having signed from Lille in 2022 as a 20-year-old, Onana has become a crucial part of Sean Dyche’s plans, but is open to a move up the Premier League ladder. Arsenal are only exploring the potential for a move considering they are working under scrutinising Profit and Sustainability rule pressures.

However, it would represent a critical addition to a midfield which is in need of further reinforcement in this area. Onana is a defensive midfielder above all else and therefore positionally would slot into where Declan Rice has been playing.

This would allow Rice to then feature where he did against Liverpool this past weekend as Jorginho sat in front of the back four and did well. Despite their frustrations in the final third, the midfield impressed and helped to perform a dominant first half.

This format of two players with defensive-first attributes giving Martin Odegaard more freedom led to that first-half display. 13 shots to Liverpool’s two, five on target to Liverpool’s zero.

Onana would add further quality and depth to that template. But how does the Belgian stack up against the performances of Declan Rice this season who has been by far the Gunners’ most outstanding contributor?

Starting in the defensive area, Onana displays his tackling success above Rice with 2.81 tackles per 90 minutes to the Arsenal man’s 2.16 according to FBRef. With 1.71 tackles won per 90 to Rice’s 1.24, he comes out strongly again.

However, Rice unsurprisingly comes back strongly with interceptions per 90 (1.55 > 0.62) blocks per 90 (1.19 > 0.89) and clearances per 90 (1.75 > 1.03).

Passing-wise Rice again leads the way in completion (96.1% > 86.2%) and passes into the final third per 90 (8.61 > 3.42) but interestingly the Belgian has more attempted passes into the box (0.93 > 0.68). Arsenal and Everton’s context is important; their relative control of the ball, quality and position in the table must be taken into account.

Rice has also arguably been the best in his role of any player – contended by Rodri and Joao Palhinha – and so expecting Onana to beat him would be somewhat of a fantasy. However, it is good to see his tackling is strong and his passing direct.

Under the tutelage of Arteta, there is also plenty of room for improvement at his age of 22 and he is now a full Belgian international. It adds depth to a position Arsenal needed and could help unlock more from Rice in the midfield too.

The question mark lies in how the club get it done. Financially it is surely a tough challenge, but Edu Gaspar has found ways to get unlikely deals done as we saw with David Raya; maybe he is about to pull off another shock transfer.

Many may ask why the club has not moved for a striker if the money is available for Onana, and the answer is quite simple. The likes of Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen – players who the club see as being the type to take the No.9 role forwards – are out of reach and alternatives are not available in their budget.

Next on the list is midfield, which makes sense considering Thomas Partey’s injury record and the ageing depth of Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny. Onana would add serious quality at a perfect age too with Premier League experience of course and allow Arteta greater options for the future.