Everton have secured the services of Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana, who has joined the English club from Lille on a five-year contract.
Onana entered the summer as a wanted man with West Ham interested in him early on in the transfer window before Everton also approached him and his club.
They matched West Ham’s offer, said to amount to €40 million, and the 20-year-old was more interested in playing for them than for the London club.
Personal terms were quickly agreed and the deal has now been confirmed.
“It feels great to join Everton. I know it’s a big, big club, one of the biggest in England. It’s something I want to be part of for many years,” he told the Everton website.
“Everyone here showed they really wanted me and they have a plan for me, so I really appreciated the talks I had with the manager and Director of Football. They told me how they wanted me to play and I enjoyed it.
“They both have a lot of ambition and that’s the type of guy I am so it matches.
“The manager was one of the big reasons. He played at the highest level, won many things and was a midfielder, too. It means a lot to have interest from him and I think he can teach me many things.
“The Everton fans are amazing. I saw their support last season and it’s also one of the reasons why I chose Everton. I am looking forward to meeting them at Goodison and, just hearing about the atmosphere, I get goosebumps.”
GBeNeFN
