Did Arsenal allow the 'new Vieira' to go to Everton?
FT Desk
- 11 Aug 2022 15:43 BST
- 3 min read
Amadou Onana has the potential to be the next Patrick Vieira according to Belgium manager Roberto Martinez. But he will be playing for Everton next season and not Arsenal.
Onana completed a €40 million move from Lille to Everton on Tuesday, the 20-year-old defensive midfielder signing a five-year contract with the Toffees.
Already a player with experience of playing in Germany and France, with Hoffenheim and Hamburg alongside Lille on his playing CV, the Senegal-born star was handed his Belgium debut by Martinez in June.
"He's a really exciting footballer," the former Everton coach told Sky Sports News.
"I know sometimes when we speak about players it's very difficult to measure potential, [but] we're talking about a 20-year-old boy that's probably one of the most talented young players at that age in European football. That's how excited we are in Belgium."
Right place, right time 😁
Onana's first @Ligue1_ENG goal! 💥#LOSC | #FCNLOSC pic.twitter.com/Zfku350ayx https://t.co/5xOl7BKCAR— LOSC (@LOSC_EN) March 21, 2022
Arsenal have bolstered their squad this summer, led by the combined £77m/€91m spent on Manchester City pair Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Gunners beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in last Friday's Premier League opener, but the much-maligned Granit Xhaka started in central midfield.
Have they missed a trick?
"I'm sure Everton will use him in a more defensive role or he can be used box-to-box where he really uses his physicality," Martinez continued. "Off the ball, he's one of the most impressive young players with his intensity, the way he can press and then his arrival into the box.
Martinez: 'a young Patrick Vieira'
"Sometimes he reminds you of a young Patrick Vieira in the way he drives with the ball."
Palace coach Vieira was a world-class midfielder in his playing days who made 400 appearances for Arsenal, winning the Premier League in 1998, 2002 and 2004.
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Arsenal have also signed another Vieira this summer - Fabio, in a €40m deal from Porto. But the Portuguese youngster is an attacking midfielder, and not one who might dominate the middle of the park like his namesake or indeed Onana.
"I think it would be a shame if we speak only about his technical and tactical abilities," said Martinez. "He's quite unique in the way he is as a character. He's a leader as a young man who's already affecting the others in the dressing room.
"He's going to be 21 next week so you're still talking about potential but what's already there is the leadership and the captain material that he brings to Everton."
