This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.
Sometimes you can make profits on player despite them never even making an appearance for the club – that is something to which Everton can testify.
The player in question here is Henry Onyekuru. In 2017, the Nigeria international was signed for £7m from KAS Eupen – that was after a stunning spell at the Belgian club, with him scoring 30 goals in 60 matches despite being a winger. Ronald Koeman must have seen something special in him.
Straight away, though, he was loaned back out to the Jupiler League, this time with Anderlecht. Once again he managed to impress, scoring 10 times in 28 matches for the country’s most successful club – surely that was enough to give him a chance at Goodison Park.
Again, though, the Toffees had other plans and he was soon sent out on another loan, this time to Galatasaray, and it was another spell that worked out well. He managed 44 games during the 2018/19 term for the Turkish team, scoring 16 goals and providing six assists.
Remarkably, it still wasn’t enough for him to work his way into the Toffees’ first team and, after never even making a matchday squad, Onyekuru was moved on AS Monaco, this time permanently. Given his performances on loan, the Toffees were able to demand a higher fee than what they initially paid – in the end, he earned them £12m.
Should Everton have kept Onyekuru?
Yes
No
It looks as though they may have sold him at the right time, as well – he made just four appearances for Les Monegasques, failing to score, before he was loaned back to Galatasaray, where he bagged just once in 10 games. By hook or by crook, this is a deal that has worked out perfectly for Everton.
Everton fans, do you feel that the Toffees did well to get £12m for Onyekuru? Let us know what you think by commenting below!
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