Everton forward Henry Onyekuru has completed a permanent move to AS Monaco for an undisclosed fee believed to be £12million, the Blues have confirmed.
Confirmation of the Nigerian’s transfer to the Stade Louis II natives could be made despite the Premier League market closing before the first game of the English top-flight season, as the Ligue 1 transfer window remains open until 23:59 CET on September 2.
Onyekuru had shown resistance to a move to the Principality earlier in the summer as he favoured a permanent return to former loan side Galatasaray, but is understood to have flown out to the south of France over the weekend to put the final touches on his five-year contract.
Nigerian outlet Vanguard noted on Sunday evening that the 22-year-old had arrived in Monaco to carry out his medical with Leonardo Jardim’s outfit, as Everton chiefs had managed to convince him that Monaco would be a better suitor for his continued development than a return to the Super Lig with Cimbom.
It is expected that Jardim will award Onyekuru the role left behind by former Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion midfielder Nacer Chadli, who joined RSC Anderlecht on loan earlier in the summer.
Onyekuru had spent time on loan with the Jupiler Pro League outfit earlier in his career, too, having been temporarily offloaded to the Belgian side following his arrival on Merseyside in 2017 as he failed to obtain a UK work permit.
The £31,000-a-week forward continued to be denied his requests for permission to make his competitive Blues debut, having failed to make the necessary international appearances that are demanded by the Home Office.
He now leaves Everton without making his Toffees debut, and having helped Galatasaray to a domestic double with 14 goals and five assists in the Super Lig and two goals and an assist in the Ziraat Turkiye Kupası under Fatih Terim last season while on loan.