Amadou Onana problems mooted at Aston Villa after transfer news – Exclusive
Amadou Onana faces an uncertain future at Aston Villa despite only joining the club last summer.
Onana is Villa’s record signing, having arrived from Everton for a reported £50million.
The Belgian settled in well under Unai Emery and has impressed in the centre of the park, but growing PSR concerns in the Midlands have raised doubts over his future.
The Villans are looking at ways to raise funds, including selling Villa Park’s naming rights, and could be forced to sell a number of their prized assets this summer.
Onana’s profile and value could see him become one of the players sacrificed after a recent transfer update.
Al-Hilal are interested in signing Onana
As reported by journalist Pieter-Jan Calcoen via X (5 June), Onana has garnered interest from Saudi Arabia and is on Al-Hilal’s wish list this summer.
It has been suggested that the 23-year-old could bank Villa as much as £90m, which would go a long way towards easing financial worries and allow Emery to focus on more crucial targets in forward areas such as Alejandro Garnacho.
However, ex-Villa scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Villa News – believes that something is not right with Onana if he is already being linked with a move away.
“Who will Villa sell?” King said.
“Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, Emi Martinez, Onana? Those are definitely the players who could generate a big fee. If Onana is being linked away, something is definitely not right with him, as he has only been at the club for a year.
“However, those are the four players who could generate a big fee. Ezri Konsa and Youri Tielemans, as well, perhaps.
“These are the players that can help square the books. However, if Villa sell a player of that quality, they will need to replace him. That is also a problem.”
Emery must get big calls right this summer
Emery is arguably facing his biggest test since joining the Villans in navigating this tricky transfer window.
The Spaniard must deduce which players are expendable and is expected to lose a handful of stars he has relied upon, yet he is under pressure to also secure UEFA Champions League football again next season.
It is an unenviable task, and the 53-year-old must get almost every decision spot on to ensure that he has the tools to succeed; otherwise, it feels like Villa’s prospects could collapse very quickly.
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