Man Utd 'open to' Everton swap deal involving Scott McTominay amid FFP 'concerns'

Manchester United could use Scott McTominay as bait in an attempt to sign Amadou Onana from Everton, according to reports.

The Belgian international has been one of the standout performers for the Toffees since arriving at Goodison Park 18 months ago. An imposing, combative midfielder, Onana is the disruptor in midfield alongside Idrissa Gueye.

There have been question marks about Casemiro’s long-term credentials at Old Trafford while Sofyan Amrabat has also failed to live up to the hype. Signing Onana, at 22, would be viewed as a shrewd move as United plan a rebuild under minority stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

However, Financial Fair Play restrictions threaten to handcuff the Red Devils from splashing the cash this month. Chief Operating Officer Collette Roche admitted last month United must be disciplined” if they are to conclude any business in January, directly referencing FFP.

"We are not expecting it (the January transfer window) to be particularly busy," she said. "There will always be the possibility of deals around the edges of the squad, particularly in terms of finding opportunities for players who are not playing as much football as they would like.

"However, we have always been consistent in saying that we do not see January as the optimal time to do business and our recruitment strategy remains focused on summer windows.

"We have seen this season that Financial Fair Play rules have real teeth, so we have to be very careful to ensure we remain compliant, and we will. That means being disciplined on spending going forward, with a balance between incomings and outgoings."

Everton’s economic woes are also well-documented, with the club receiving the biggest Premier League points deduction in history earlier in the campaign. The Toffees were dealt a 10-point penalty for breaching financial regulations - limiting their wriggle room in January.

A report from Football Transfers suggests Everton boss Sean Dyche is a long-standing admirer of McTominay and could be open to a swap deal involving Onana. McTominay is United’s joint-top scorer this season having enjoyed a resurgence under Erik ten Hag.

But question marks remain about his all-round game and whether he has the quality for where United are aiming to be. The report suggests a swap deal may benefit all parties, with Dyche relishing the chance to manage McTominay given his physical attributes.