Amado Onana's agent reveals the reason he did not leave Everton in January amid Arsenal interest

Last month, Arsenal were in talks to sign Amadou Onana from Everton, with reports claiming 'intensive talks' were ongoing between the two and the player was 'keen' on the switch. Manchester United were also interested in the Belgian midfielder and amid the January links, the Toffees reportedly set a staggering price tag of £90 million.

While the amount of money quoted may have played a part in a failed move, a new update has dropped on why Onana did not leave Goodison Park. The 22-year-old's agent and sister Mélissa recently appeared on the Noyau Dur YouTube show to discuss the recent interest and why her brother and client opted to stay.

"We could have left this winter, but we once again sat down and asked the question whether it’s the right time, if the player is ready," she said (via Sport Witness). "My job is to put opportunities on the table. In the end, he’s the one who makes the choice because it’s his life and his career. I put the opportunities on the table and he said 'No, I want to stay at Everton and I want to continue to fight'.

"I’m lucky that my brother is intelligent, which isn’t the case for all players, so I give him the pros and the cons of a situation that’s on the table. We talk about it, he asks me my opinion, and I say 'this is what I think’. Then, he makes his choice. Personally, I’m also not a fan of transfers during the winter. Often, it’s to put a stop to a bad situation. It’s clubs that are trying to turn a situation around after the transfers they did in the summer. They are clubs that are bleeding, trying to find a plaster."

Everton signed Onana in 2022 for £33 million and since his arrival, he has become a key part of the team. While he is a defensive midfielder by trade, he has also slotted into more central and attacking roles and has chipped in with two goals and an assist so far this season.

Amid another relegation battle, it was always going to be near impossible to convince the Toffees to part ways with integral senior players. Now, knowing Onana himself wanted to stay and fight for his team's survival, will surely be a boost for Everton and their morale.