Barcelona director of football Deco is increasingly focused on a move for Everton star Amadou Onana in the summer and an effort to get him is ‘taken for granted’ by some at the club.
That’s according to AS, who continue to insist that the midfielder is very much on Barcelona’s list of options for the summer transfer window.
A report last week made it clear that Deco had identified Onana as an option as he looks to add a midfielder to the squad for next season.
That report made it clear he could only move at a certain price and a deal was therefore unlikely, but Onana was on the list of options nonetheless, with an exit from Goodison Park seemingly likely in the summer.
AS now follow that up and explain while Barcelona are looking at a deal for Aleix Garcia, they also like Onana as the Everton man would offer a ‘very different profile’ to what they have.
Deco reportedly believes he needs to add a more physical element to the midfield options and find a player like Yaya Toure, with those around him at the club having ‘taken it for granted’ that such a player will be targeted.
Onana fits the bill and if Deco can convince Everton to lower their asking price to around €40m, ‘he will go for it’. The prospect of him doing that, though, seem slim.
AS admit that the midfielder would not be an ‘easy signing’ for Barcelona who are burdened by Financial Fair Play and would only be able to undertake an operation to get Onana if they make a big sale, such as Frenkie de Jong or Ronald Araujo.
Furthermore, Everton paid €35m to sign Onana in the first place and so it seems unlikely they’d sanction a deal at €40m given his progression and the fact that they also have offers from Arsenal and Chelsea for him.
Thus, at this point, a deal to take the midfielder to Camp Nou seems unlikely but the Everton star’s name is ‘written in red’ on Deco’s agenda, should the opportunity to get him become available.
