Aston Villa set to beat Arsenal, Barcelona to £50m summer transfer

Aston Villa are closing in on the signing of Everton midfielder Amadou Onana, according to reports.  Onana joined the Toffees from French side Lille for £33m (per BBC Sport) in August 2022 and has made 72 appearances across all competitions since, notching four goals and three assists. The 22-year-old also played all four games for […]

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Aston Villa are closing in on the signing of Everton midfielder Amadou Onana, according to reports. 

Onana joined the Toffees from French side Lille for £33m (per BBC Sport) in August 2022 and has made 72 appearances across all competitions since, notching four goals and three assists.

The 22-year-old also played all four games for his country as Belgium reached the last 16 of the European Championship this summer before being knocked out by France.

Onana has been an important player for Everton boss Sean Dyche over the last 18 months but has recently been heavily linked with a move away from Goodison Park.

Arsenal were thought to be close to signing Onana earlier this year but a move failed to transpire, while Barcelona also showed interest.

Now, however, BBC Sport report that Aston Villa are entering ‘advanced talks’ to sign the midfielder in a £50m deal.

Unai Emery has been in the market for a new midfielder since Douglas Luiz was sold to Juventus in June and has the added bonus of being able to offer Champions League football to any potential signing following Villa’s fourth-place finish in the Premier League last season.

Onana the new Fellaini?

Onana has shown great leadership despite his young age, so much so that Belgium boss Roberto Martinez gave him the captain’s armband during a 3-2 friendly win over Germany in March 2023.

Indeed, former Toffees Martinez has been full of praise for Onana during his time in charge of the Red Devils, even likening him to another ex-Everton midfielder in Marouane Fellaini.

“Someone with such physical presence and dynamism is needed, just think of [Marouane] Fellaini in 2018,” Martinez said in late 2022 (via Goodison News).

“He is also a leader on the pitch who has made strides in his career. From Germany, to France and now the Premier League… He deserves this.”

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