Everton: Who is Henry Onyekuru and will he ever play?

Henry Onyekuru is making an impact on loan at Anderlecht, but will the striker reach his potential at Everton?

In late November, more transfer rumors surfaced about Everton striker Henry Onyekuru. Some Everton fans might not recognise the name, likely because he has never played in Britain.

The Blues signed him last summer from Eupen in Belgium, winning out against a large group of European clubs. The young Nigerian forward didn’t join up at Finch Farm though. He immediately returned to the Belgian Jupiler Pro League on loan. Currently, he wears the number nine shirt for RSC Anderlecht.

Despite his recent contract, Onyekuru is still embroiled in transfer speculation. According to Andrew Richardson in the Sun, Onyekuru was watched by Barcelona and Manchester United scouts as recently as November.

Juventus and Athletico Madrid were also touted as possible buyers by Steve Bates of the Daily Mirror in the last few months. Needless to say, Everton may struggle to hold onto him, if teams of such stature come calling in the next few transfer windows.

It’s easy to see why Onyekuru is turning heads. The 20-year-old Nigerian has scored eight goals already this season for Anderlecht. He has played in the Champions League too, where he held his own against some heavyweight sides.

This is an incredibly attractive prospect for any club, especially Everton. Would his experience help prevent future collapses in Europe, like those against Atalanta and Lyon this season?

Positive comparisons with former-Blue Romelu Lukaku are easy too. The big Belgian started his career at Anderlecht, and scored at a similar rate to Onyekuru in the Jupiler Pro League. Onyekuru, however, is of a completely different physique to Lukaku, and relies more on his speed and dribbling ability to score and create goals.

Considering Onyekuru’s clear talent up front, it seems strange Everton have kept him out on loan. The problem lies in his work permit. For a non-EU player to legally play in England, they must appear in 75 perecent of international games for their national squad. Onyekuru isn’t anywhere near this rate yet for the Super Eagles.

This is a significant stumbling block and will likely keep Onyekuru on the continent for a while, no matter who signs him. There is room for manoeuvring though. The Blues have toyed with using a special clause to get him across the channel quickly, according to Nigerian website 90minutesgoal.