Sean Dyche to bring in former Belgium star to help make Amadou Onana ‘complete’ Everton player
Onana #Onana
New Everton boss Sean Dyche plans to use the experience of his former player Steven Defour to help with the development of Amadou Onana.
Dyche believes Onana is an exciting talent and watched as the 21-year-old midfielder played a crucial role in helping the Blues beat Arsenal 1-0 at Goodison Park on Saturday
And Dyche now hopes that Defour, who played under him in the Premier League at Burnley, will help advise his young compatriot on how to continue his progress.
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Defour, currently manager of Belgian side Mechelen, was a central midfielder who, like Onana, represented the Belgium national side.
And asked what he made of Onana’s pivotal role in the centre of the midfield on Saturday, former Burnley boss Dyche praised the youngster and said: “He has got a lot to learn. I think he is a talent, the ugly side of the game he has to learn. I had a very similar process which I spoke about – I had a bit of fun with him, Idrissa [Gueye] and [Abdoulaye] Doucoure – and I said I am getting you to speak to Steven Defour and we will be doing that.
“He said, ‘Steven Defour, I know who he is’, and I said, ‘so do I and when we speak to him next week he will teach you about what the requirements of the Premier League are’.
“He is a young man who is learning. He has come in here with real talent and is fantastic physically and we will get him fitter and sharper and teach him the ugly side of the game and to be a more complete player.
“He has a lot to offer but has a long way to go to become a complete player and Steven will help me possibly educate him. He is a well-respected international footballer for Belgium and he will rub off on him. If he doesn’t, I’ll rub off on him.”
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