NEDUM ONUOHA is considered the right man to ease Everton’s defensive worries – but it is Queens Park Rangers who are favourites to land the Manchester City player.
The 25-year-old has featured just once in the Premier League for Roberto Mancini’s side this season – as a late substitute in Monday night’s win over Wigan Athletic – and the Etihad Stadium club are ready to off-load the utility defender in the transfer window.
According to the player’s representative, Kia Joorabchian, Everton made an offer for Onuoha (left) in the summer and it is understood the former England under-21 international is back on the club’s radar as they look to bolster their painfully thin options at the back.
However, QPR and their new manager Mark Hughes are believed to be readying a bid for the Man City academy graduate who has been valued at £4m, though the ECHO understands his club may try and hold out for a bigger fee.
Hughes, also advised by Joorabchian, was in charge at City when Onuoha was breaking into the first team and appears ready to give him a chance of regular football at Loftus Road.
Owner Tony Fernandes has promised Hughes money to spend this month and given Moyes’ transfer kitty is stretched, Everton are in no position to enter a bidding war with the London club.
Even if the Blues managed to generate money by selling anyone, it is unclear if the proceeds of such a move would even be used to fund a bid for Onuoha with spending the precious cash on a new striker a more likely scenario.
But Everton will continue to monitor the defender’s situation and should a deal with QPR not materialise, and the possibility of Onuoha leaving Eastlands on loan emerges, Moyes may make a move.
Onuoha, who spent last season on loan at Sunderland, has two years remaining on the five-year deal he signed in 2009 and City are ready to cash in on the highly-rated defender in this transfer window.
Everton, though, are not optimistic about being the ones to sign the Nigerian-born defender but are refusing to give up hope that he could become available on loan at some stage this month.
In the meantime, Moyes will continue to scour the transfer market for a defender as he continue to make do with just two fit centre-halves, John Heitinga and 20-year-old Shane Duffy, in the absence of the injured Phil Jagielka (knee) and Sylvain Distin (hamstring).
