With Sandro Tonali’s 10-month ban for illegal betting recently confirmed, Newcastle United’s priority is to get cover in midfield during the January transfer window.
Any move is going to have to be considered carefully given that the club have to keep within the bounds of Financial Fair Play, and it isn’t clear how much wiggle room the Magpies have in that regard.
Thus far, Eddie Howe and his backroom team have worked incredibly well alongside the Saudi Public Investment Fund and sporting director, Dan Ashworth, and there’s nothing to suggest that whomever replaces Tonali won’t again be a joint effort between the various areas of the business.
According to inews (subscription required), one of the players that is potentially under consideration is Everton’s dynamic 22-year-old Amadou Onana.
Though he may not be the favourite at this point in time, and there’s no indication that Everton would welcome an approach in any event, it does seem as though he is on the list.
He’s a player that would clearly get the thumbs up from former legend and arguably Newcastle’s greatest ever striker, Alan Shearer.
‘A real powerhouse performance. He led by example at the heart of Everton’s midfield,’ he wrote on the official Premier League website for his Team of the Week.
With two months still to go before the transfer window opens in any event, there’s plenty that can happen in the meantime, and Onana may move up or slip down the list dependant on a number of factors including injury and form.
Howe needs to stop being to loyal to the likes of Dan Burn he is a liability too slow always has to take a touch turn then pass by then the opposition is on top of you just hopeless
Thomas doesn’t watch the games