Amadou Onana
Amadou Onana
Of all of the players in Aston Villa's squad who you might've expected to be the subject of transfer speculation in this summer window, Amadou Onana was perhaps one you wouldn't have placed on that particular list.
The Belgian international is the club's record signing, having joined from Everton only last summer for a fee in excess of £50m. Things began extremely well - Onana scored important goals in the early season wins away at West Ham United and Leicester City, while also netting in the Champions League win at Young Boys.
Onana, 23, did encounter injury issues over the course of the season; he missed a month before Christmas, while he also didn't play between the beginning of February and the very end of March. Onana, though, did finish the campaign strongly
Onana complemented the returning Boubacar Kamara in the deeper roles in midfield and alongside compatriot Youri Tielemans throughout the course of the season and would look to be a crucial part of Unai Emery's squad heading into the 2025-26 campaign - but reports in Belgium reiterate that there remains interest from abroad in Onana.
Saudi Pro League runners up Al Hilal have been very active in the last couple of years in attracting talent from Europe; they have Aleskandar Mitrovic, Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves on their books, among others, and would appear to be set to visit the European market again this summer.
Al Hilal are off to the US this summer for the Club World Cup, where they'll take on Real Madrid in their group, as well as RB Salzburg and Mexican side Pachuca - and reports in Belgium indicate that they maintain an interest in signing Onana, although it would require a substantial fee, in excess of what Villa paid Everton, to lure him away from Villa Park.
Nieuwsblad add Al Hilal have made enquiries about Onana, that their interest is 'very real', but that no formal negotiations have taken place between the two clubs and, therefore, there cannot be any confidence that a move will even materialise - although, clearly, for PIF owned Al Hilal money isn't an object. Villa, by comparison, have PSR to consider.
What is Onana worth to Villa? Have your say HERE
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