Manchester United’s 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic on Monday evening in the FA Cup was remarkably their first away win since November.
Despite progressing, the Red Devils were underwhelming, which has become a common theme this season.
United are eighth in the Premier League, and with that in mind, Erik ten Hag will be desperately wanting to improve his squad for the back end of the campaign.
Perhaps bringing in a Premier League midfielder would do the trick for the Dutchman.
Man Utd transfers latest – midfield hunt for Ten Hag
According to Football Transfers, Man United have opened talks with Amadou Onana of Everton.
It is rumoured that a deal involving Scott McTominay going to the Toffees could be on the cards, which would see Onana swap Merseyside for Manchester.
A move could occur this January, but Everton are looking for a fee in the region of £60m according to prior reports from Football Insider.
How Kobbie Mainoo could benefit from Amadou Onana
Monday's game against Wigan further cemented the fact that Kobbie Mainoo is arguably one of United’s most important players at the moment.
Despite being just 18 years old, he controlled the midfield all by himself having completed 90% of his passes and won a staggering ten ground duels. Such work has made the teenager simply undroppable.
Minutes Played
90
Touches
86
Accurate Passes
61/68 (90%)
Key Passes
1
Successful Dribbles
2/2
Duels Won
10/16
Tackles
8
However, what was also obvious is the need for a player to partner him in the middle of the park, because although the youngster is excellent, he cannot take on all the defensive midfield responsibility alone. That dream partner could be Onana, who would provide the perfect balance and support to Ten Hag’s team.
The table below shows Onana’s statistics from the 2023/24 Premier League campaign and how he ranks compared to positional peers in the division.
Tackles
2.81
Top 19%
Tackles won
1.71
Top 20%
Ball recoveries
7.13
Top 18%
Aerials won
2.47
Top 4%
Passes completed
35.99
Top 50%
Firstly, what stands out instantly about Onana is the fact that he is very strong out of possession, and he is dominant due to his power, size, and athleticism, which is why he has been compared to Patrick Vieira by former Belgium coach Roberto Martinez.
The former Everton boss once stated: “Sometimes he reminds you of a young Patrick Vieira in the way that he can drive with the ball,"
The 22-year-old stands at 6 foot 4, which clearly makes him useful in both penalty boxes. United are quite a short team overall, and Onana’s ability to be dominant in the air would help defend long balls and set pieces in particular.
The Everton star also has long legs, which allow him to tackle with ease and regain possession for his side by recovering the ball. His size and frame also allow him to cover ground quickly, which will significantly reduce the number of transitions and cutbacks that the Red Devils concede from.
Due to playing for an Everton side that rarely dominates possession and endures long spells without the ball, the former Lille players’ passing statistics are not that impressive. However, he has shown glimpses of technical class, and in a different environment, like United, he could flourish.
Having said that, if playing next to Mainoo, Onana would be the slightly more defensive of the two, which would allow the 18-year-old to play further forward, where he can impact the game with his close dribbling and creativity.
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However, the United academy graduate is also secure out of possession, as shown by his eight tackles won versus Wigan, and together they would be a complete midfield duo.
Signing Onana would be an excellent move by United, especially if they could bargain with Everton for a cheaper fee or/and a swap deal. Onana and Mainoo have the potential to dominate the Premier League for years to come, and therefore, the Red Devils must look to sign the Belgian.
