Belgium U21 boss Jacky Mathijssen believes Everton see a huge future in midfielder Amadou Onana, hence their big money move to sign him from Lille.
The youngster completed a move to Goodison Park yesterday, signing from Lille in a deal that could end up reaching around €40m.
The move to England represents the next big step for Onana, who only moved to Lille from Hamburger SV in August 2021.
He managed 41 appearances for the French side last season but only 11 of those were starts in Ligue 1, a figure that has led some to question Everton’s move for him.
The fee the Blues have paid is seen as a big one for a 20-year-old with limited experience, even if his potential could end up making it a bargain.
It is that potentially high ceiling which Everton are hoping Onana will reach, and Mathijssen believes there is another motive behind that.
“It must also be that Everton see a huge future in him and hope to sell him for €80m in two years’ time,” he told Het Niuewsblad.
“Otherwise you don’t do that. He is a player with enormous potential.
“It (Onana’s transfer and others) is also a signal that our future after the golden generation is not as bad as feared. I have always claimed that too.
“I see all the youngsters that I coached grow into the highest level of the Red Devils. So you see.
“For a long time, people were saying that there was no replacement for Witsel and suddenly there are three or four ready to go.”
