Arsenal and Chelsea have reportedly learned the asking price of Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.
Last summer, the Toffees paid an alleged £33m to secure the signing of Onana from Lille, the player having spent just one year competing in Ligue 1.
The perception was that the 21-year-old would arrive at Goodison Park and only enhance his reputation, regardless of the club's performance in the Premier League.
That is how it has transpired with Onana's displays in a struggling side earning him a spot in Belgium's World Cup squad, where he played 105 minutes of football.
For Everton, Onana has made 24 starts and two substitute outings, chipping in with just one goal and one assist but becoming a key part of the midfield.
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When signing for the Merseyside outfit, Onana penned a five-year contract, yet that deal was signed with the possibility of the player moving to a bigger club in the future with Everton making a substantial profit.
The chances of that occurring as soon as the next transfer window have increased with Everton in a battle to secure their Premier League status for another season and the club currently facing charges over allegedly failing to meet financial regulations.
Arsenal and Chelsea are said to be monitoring the situation, the latter having expressed an interest in January before it became clear that Onana wanted to stay at Goodison Park.
According to Football Insider, Everton will demand £70m if they receive any concrete interest in Onana later in 2023.
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The report suggests that both the Gunners and Blues may be against meeting such a figure, particularly when aware of Everton's ongoing situation on and off the pitch.
Arsenal, the current Premier League leaders, added Jorginho to their midfield ranks in January, but Mikel Arteta is keen to add one more player in that area of the pitch.
Meanwhile, Chelsea, who sacked Graham Potter on Sunday evening, was well stocked for options in midfield and will part ways with a number of their current crop in the summer.
Although N'Golo Kante is expected to sign a new contract, there are doubts over the futures of Mateo Kovacic, Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Juventus loanee Denis Zakaria.
Darren Plant
