The Liverpool Echo reports that Everton and Arsenal have begun negotiations on a possible transfer of Amadou Onana, with the Toffees prepared to make a big offer of £50 million.

The 22-year-old spent £33 million to join the Blues from LOSC Lille in 2022. Since moving to Merseyside, he has made 72 appearances and appeared in 63 of 76 Premier League games, rapidly establishing himself as a vital player.

Onana is presently competing for Belgium in the European Championships. It is anticipated that he will play a significant role, possibly starting on Monday night when the Red Devils take on Slovakia at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt. Although he only has 13 caps for his country, he has played in all four friendlies this year, starting in Brussels earlier this month against Luxembourg and Montenegro.

If he does well in this tournament, his value could rise. The Belgian international has long been linked to the Gunners, and according to the Liverpool Echo, Arsenal has now contacted Everton to ask about the conditions of a possible sale.

According to the report, Everton is prepared to take a £50 million offer for Onana. In his transfers daily briefing, Fabrizio Romano states that formal negotiations are not yet underway, but the transfer insider asserts that Everton is anticipating offers for Onana in light of Arsenal’s interest.

Due to their violations of the Profitability and Sustainability regulations from the previous season—which would have resulted in a 12-point deduction had there not been an appeal—the Toffees may be under pressure to offload important players, like Jarrad Branthwaite, who may also be headed for the exit. Arsenal should make sense in moving Onana.

Mikel Arteta may aim to make changes in the midfield this summer. Although Thomas Partey’s injury record isn’t great—he started just ten games last season—and Mohamed Elneny’s contract is about to expire, Albert Sambi Lokonga has already declared his intention to leave, and any offers for Partey—from Saudi Arabia or elsewhere—would have to be taken into consideration. The only players left are Declan Rice and 32-year-old Jorginho, who has agreed to a contract extension but is unreliable to start every game given his age. Thus, this summer will need at least one, if not two, midfield additions. Onana seems like a great, realistic option, effectively replacing Party with a younger, more reliable option in terms of availability, and he could be reasonably priced given Everton’s less than ideal financial situation. The Gunners have recently demonstrated a willingness to purchase players from the Premier League, something they had been reluctant to do for more than ten years. Could Onana become the next addition to the group that already included David Raya, the aforementioned Rice, and Kai Havertz? Jorginho, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, Benjamin White, and Aaron Ramsdale were all acquired before to this.