Aston Villa transfer an odd move as £50m signing splits opinion ahead of deal
Aston Villa’s summer transfer dealings continue to gather pace as they look to bolster their squad ahead of competing in the UEFA Champions League this season.
The Villains impressed during the 2024/24 campaign with their eleven-on-eleven pressing football which secured a fourth-place finish and their first European semi-final since winning the European Cup – now Champions League – in 1982.
Ollie Watkins returned impressive figures of 19 goals and 13 assists in a career-best season leading to his inclusion in England’s UEFA Euro 2024 squad where he continued to impress most notably sending England to the final of the tournament with a cute finish against Netherlands in the dying embers of the semi-final in Dortmund – Villa’s inclusion in Europe’s elite competition may have saved them from losing their star striker.
However, Unai Emery’s side have been active in this summer’s transfer market already welcoming seven players including Ross Barkley, Cameron Archer, and Samuel Iling-Junior to Bodymoor Heath.
The Villains transfer window is far from over with rumours of both incomings and outgoings the hot topics – below is a selection of the latest media reports around Villa and Birmingham Live’s take on the news…
Amadou Onana deal nears
The Belgian midfielder looks set to complete a move to Aston Villa in the coming days with reports by Sacha Tavolieri, he posted on X saying: “Signing day will be on Monday if all goes to plan. A new challenge’s coming for Amadou Onana.” The deal is expected to cost the Villains around £50m. Two days earlier he reported that Manchester United tried to hijack the deal but Villa’s financial package for the player was the deciding factor in the deal.
Birmingham Live’s Luke Davies: The midfielder has struggled under Sean Dyche in a side threatened with relegation since he joined from Ligue 1 LOSC Lille in 2021. More down to style than ability Onana has struggled to start games since the turn of the year and the deal makes sense for all parties involved including the player who has made clear his intention of playing in the UEFA Champions League in the past.
The 22-year-old split opinion of Toffees’ supporters showing glimpses of raw ability with little end product at times. He tends to come deep and constantly show for the ball from the goalkeeper and defenders, however, he was bypassed a lot due to Everton’s style. Onana’s defining moment of his career on Merseyside occurred in the Carabao Cup quarter-final in February; he had the chance to send Dyche’s side to the semi-final in a penalty shootout but fluffed his lines with an Ivan Toney-esque spot-kick that dribbled into the ‘keeper’s grasp – since then frustrations grew.
