Aston Villa set to confirm £50m deal after Arsenal reportedly agreed personal terms with midfielder last month
Arsenal are set to miss out on another transfer target as Aston Villa finalises a £50 million agreement with Everton to sign Amadou Onana, according to The Athletic.
The deal, which is nearing completion, includes agreed personal terms between Villa and the 22-year-old midfielder for a long-term contract.
Onana had reportedly been a target for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who was keen on bringing him to the Emirates Stadium.
Aston Villa, preparing for their Champions League campaign next season, have identified Onana as a key target for manager Unai Emery. The player is reportedly enthusiastic about playing for the Spaniard and his team.
Everton needed to sell some of their assets to avoid points deduction next season. Last season, Everton were docked eight points for breaching the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules, having lost £371.8 million over three years.
The new financial cycle began with Everton already £89.1 million in debt, permitting only £15.9 million in further losses before breaching the £105 million cap.
Everton’s sale of Onana means they are unlikely to sell center-back Jarrad Branthwaite this summer unless they receive a substantial offer. Onana has become a crucial player for Everton, making 72 appearances, including 37 last season, since joining from Lille for an initial £30 million in the summer of 2022.
Everton had hoped to secure a fee between £60-70 million for Onana, reflecting the market rate for midfielders of his calibre in recent years. The French club Lille is entitled to 20% of the profit from any sale.
Arsenal, Manchester United, and Newcastle United have previously expressed interest in Onana, while Bayern Munich and Barcelona are also known admirers.
Onana recently participated in the European Championship with Belgium, who were knocked out by France in the last 16 stage of the tournament.
With Onana likely off the table, other midfield targets for Arteta include Real Sociedad duo Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes, and Benfica’s Joao Neves.
