Arsenal have reportedly touched base with Everton to register their interest in a January deal for midfielder Amadou Onana.
The Belgium international has proven himself in the Premier League since leaving Lille for Goodison Park in the summer of 2022, registering three goals and three assists in 56 matches for Sean Dyche's men.
Onana's contract with Everton does not expire for another three-and-a-half years, but the 22-year-old has unsurprisingly been tipped to depart the Merseyside outfit in search of European football for the 2024-25 season.
Both Arsenal and Manchester United are supposedly ready to battle for Onana's signature this year, although Everton have not been expected to entertain January offers for such an integral cog in their system.
Nevertheless, TEAMtalk claims that Arsenal have now made an approach to the Toffees over a winter deal for the ex-Hoffenheim youngster, whom Mikel Arteta is a particular fan of.
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With Man United and potentially Chelsea also circling, the report adds that Arsenal could make an official bid for Onana's services this month in an attempt to beat their rivals to his signature.
However, Everton are supposedly ready to hold out for at least £70m and potentially as much as £90m for a player who commanded a £33m fee to leave Lille last year, and Arsenal would not be able to justify splashing out such a big amount this month.
Arteta sanctioned £105m and £65m moves respectively for Declan Rice and Kai Havertz in the summer transfer window, while Jurrien Timber's arrival from Ajax took the Gunners' spending to over £200m.
Arsenal are also expected to convert David Raya's loan move from Brentford into a permanent deal for £27m at the end of the season, and January incomings are therefore expected to be scarce due to Financial Fair Play regulations.
More midfield additions are expected to arrive in North London at some point in 2024, though, as Mohamed Elneny - who is currently away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations - is out of contract this summer and could potentially depart this month for a nominal fee.
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Jorginho is in the same boat and is unlikely to be offered an extension beyond the end of the season, while the injury-plagued Thomas Partey - who has been out since October with a thigh issue - is in the final 18 months of his contract.
A big-money deal for Onana will be more feasible in the summer, but the Everton man is just one of a handful of engine room targets for the Gunners, who also have Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz, Royal Antwerp's Arthur Vermeeren and Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi on their radar.
Arteta's side - who have won just one of their last six games in all tournaments - are also after a new striker in the winter window, but such a move hinges on the future of Eddie Nketiah, who is attracting interest from Crystal Palace.
For the time being, a left-back is now said to be Arsenal's top priority for the coming weeks, having lost Oleksandr Zinchenko to a calf problem and Takehiro Tomiyasu to the Asian Cup in the past week.
Arsenal's left-back troubles could force Arteta to start centre-back Jakub Kiwior out wide for Sunday's FA Cup third-round clash with Liverpool, as was the case in last weekend's 2-1 loss to Fulham in the Premier League.
Ben Knapton
