Dyche delight as key Everton star ends Newcastle speculation and in-form team-mate pens new contract
Everton boss Sean Dyche
Everton will definitely be able to rely on two important players for the rest of the season, as Amadou Onana has ruined talk of a Newcastle United transfer and Abdoulaye Doucoure has signed a new contract.
Onana has established himself as one of Everton’s best players since moving from Lille to Goodison Park for £33million in August 2022. Everton have not had the biggest success in that time, but the central midfielder has made a great impression thanks to his dominant performances in the centre of the park.
Onana has performed so well that major clubs such as Manchester United and Chelsea were linked with moves for him in the summer.
While neither of those Premier League giants completed his capture, there have been rumours of a January switch away from Everton.
On October 24, it emerged that Newcastle could move for Onana to replace Sandro Tonali, who will be out of action for 10 months after his betting ban was confirmed.
However, the Belgian has now told Everton boss Sean Dyche exactly what he wants to hear, insisting he will spend the whole campaign on Merseyside.
“I grew a lot mentally last season,” he said in an interview with Belgian outlet DH Net.
“I always fought for trophies or places of honour. The mindset is different, you have to get used to losing almost every weekend. It was hard. The pressure was enormous because there was the weight of the story weighing on our shoulders.
Amadou Onana to reject Newcastle approach
“I would have blamed myself all my life for a club like that to be in the Championship. We were reminded of it daily, so it didn’t come out of my head.
“I’m still learning. Personally, and football-wise. We have to defend, run and suffer more this season. And I take that stuff.
“For the future, I don’t ask myself too many questions. Only my performance will take me where I want. I’m not thinking about leaving in January.”
Doucoure’s future has also come into question recently, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season.
But Everton have now confirmed that he has penned a new deal until summer 2025. And according to Fabrizio Romano, Everton have the option to extend Doucoure’s terms by an extra year.
Abdoulaye Doucoure ‘loves’ Everton
Reacting to his new contract, Doucoure said: “I love Everton and I’m very happy to extend my stay here.
“It was a very easy decision to make. I love all the people around the club and all the fans who have shown me so much love in the past couple of months. My wish was to stay here and continue to enjoy my time with Everton.
“It means a lot to stay here. I always fight for this club and I’ve always been in love with this club. I’ve always wanted to stay at Everton.
“I think signing my new contract shows the club is going the right way. The team is doing very well at the moment. We are confident and we know the team is very good.
“We want to put Everton where they belong, to be honest. We want to be higher up in the table, and obviously, we are in a good spot in the Carabao Cup as well.
“I want to give everything and compete every week for Everton.”
Doucoure’s new contract will be a boost for everyone involved with Everton. Dyche likes to use the 30-year-old in a more advanced attacking midfield position, and he has been thriving there this campaign. Doucoure has scored league goals against Sheffield United, Brentford and Bournemouth so far, helping Everton to pick up 10 points from the same amount of games.
Keeping Onana and Doucoure at the club will give Everton a much better chance at staying out of a relegation fight and moving up the table this term.
