Everton’s dealings in the transfer market have been excellent, bolstering Sean Dyche’s side ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.
However, given their recent troubles with PSR, they’ve also had to offload numerous players including star midfielder Amadou Onana.
The Belgian left Goodison Park for Aston Villa in a £50m transfer, a deal that saw the Toffees make a £17m profit on the fee they paid for his signature less than two years ago – an excellent piece of business for the club.
He made 72 appearances for the Toffees in all competitions, leaving a huge hole in the middle of Dyche’s midfield in his hunt to secure a mid-table finish during the upcoming season.
However, his side have been in the market for a replacement, with one player emerging as a potential replacement for Onana over the last few hours.
Everton interested in signing £10m midfield talent
According to L’Equipe, Everton are one of several Premier League sides interested in signing Reims’ central midfielder Amir Richardson.
The Moroccan talent, who’s featured for his nation at the Olympics this summer, also has admirers from Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City after his displays in recent months.
The report states that the French side value Richardson at around the £10m mark this summer, with unnamed suitors having even submitted offers for the youngster already.
He would be an excellent addition to Dyche’s side, with the 6 foot 6 midfielder potentially proving to be a brilliant replacement for the outgoing Onana.
Why Richardson could be a better talent than Onana
Although he was an excellent servant for Everton, the club simply couldn’t refuse an offer of £50m for his services – especially considering the even financial issues at Goodison Park.
The Belgian brought a real presence given his stature, but also impressed with his ball-winning abilities at the heart of Dyche’s side – having been hailed as a "leader" by pundit Jamie Redknapp.
However, should Richardson arrive on Merseyside before the end of the transfer window on August 30th, he could prove to be a statement signing and allow the Everton faithful to forget about Onana.
When comparing the duo on FBref, the Reims ace comes out on top in various key areas for a midfielder in Dyche’s system – making him a great fit in the Toffees squad.
Games played
28
30
Goals + assists
4
2
Progressive carries
1.9
0.9
Progressive passes
4.8
4.6
Blocks
1.7
1.1
Interceptions
1
0.9
Shot-on-target accuracy
47%
21%
He averaged 1.9 progressive carries per 90, whilst also making 4.8 progressive passes – with Onana unable to get near his tallies – demonstrating the Moroccan’s quality in possession.
However, he’s also started defensively, making more blocks and interceptions per 90 during the 2023/24 campaign, with the "freak" talent, as described by analyst Ben Mattinson, potentially having a sizeable impact in and out of possession at Goodison.
The £10m fee touted for his services this summer is a bargain when looking at how he compares to £50m man Onana, with Everton needing to act quickly if they are to win the race for the youngster.
Dyche has overseen a mini overhaul of his squad this summer, with Richardson having all of the characteristics to be the next in line to join the 53-year-old’s revolution on Merseyside.
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