Manchester United’s 0-0 draw against Liverpool last weekend may have only served to restart their season after a shaky start.

The Red Devils are out of Europe and currently sit eighth in the Premier League after 17 games.

With that in mind, Erik ten Hag will try to strengthen his squad this winter, with a focus on acquiring a new midfielder.

According to FootMercato, Manchester United will compete with Barcelona for the signing of midfielder Amadou Onana.

The Red Devils’ recruitment team is closely monitoring the Everton player, with the possibility of making a January move.

The Toffees have reportedly set a £44m asking price for Onana, with Sean Dyche regarding him as an important player.

Onana, dubbed “one of the most talented young players in Europe” by ex-Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez, has been outstanding since his move from Lille to the Premier League.

At only 22 years old, he demonstrates maturity and quality in practically every element of the game while still having lots of room for development.

According to FBref, Onana’s most similar Premier League player based on last season’s statistics is Scott McTominay, whom the Everton star might potentially replace if he leaves Merseyside. The table below demonstrates this point.

As you can see, the two are similar in a number of ways, beginning with their stature and height of 6 feet 4 inches. This adds physicality to the midfield and helps to cope with long balls and set pieces, both of which rank high in aerials won.

Their long legs and athleticism enable them to cover territory fast in order to catch up to speedy attackers, make tackles, and intercept the ball. According to their FBref scouting reports, this is what the midfielders excel at.

The disadvantage for both players is their ability on the ball, which results in poor passing statistics for midfielders. Although this means they don’t get engaged in play as often as they could, it’s difficult to criticize Onana especially because he plays on a defensive-minded side that has less of the ball and attacks through transitions.

Furthermore, Onana and McTominay provide very little innovation in the final third, preferring to keep the ball rather than move play. The Scotland international rarely gains possession in the buildup phase, which often disadvantages the Red Devils when they face a low-blocking side. This is an area in which the Belgian star must improve.

Overall, it is clear that Onana and McTominay share many similarities in their styles of play and attributes; however, the main difference is that the Everton midfielder has yet to play for a team that allows his on-the-ball abilities to flourish, whereas the United academy graduate has demonstrated that his abilities are limited. Onana possesses all of the characteristics of a world-beater, but he requires the ideal atmosphere to succeed, which Old Trafford may supply.