Having risen through the ranks at Hoffenheim’s academy, Onana made his senior breakthrough at Hamburg before a brief stint with Ligue 1 side Lille. Everton splurged £33.5m to sign him last summer, and although he is not quite the finished article, the Belgium international’s stature and unpredictability in the middle of the park make him a handful for opponents.
A move to St James’ Park could be appealing for the youngster, with Howe and co in contention to make the Champions League knockout stages and fighting for a second consecutive top-four finish.
