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Amadou Onana: What will Everton midfielder bring to Aston Villa?
Aston Villa have been active in the transfer market ahead of the new campaign which will feature Champions League involvement.
The most significant acquisition in their summer spree is Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.
Onana’s tenure at Goodison Park has been challenging, with the team embroiled in relegation battles during both of his seasons there.
Aston Villa is delighted to announce the signing of Amadou Onana from Everton. ✍️
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) July 22, 2024
However, he has emerged as a key player for the Merseyside club, making 72 appearances across all competitions and playing a crucial role in helping them maintain their Premier League status.
Onana has also become a regular for the Belgium national team, with coach Domenico Tedesco identifying him as a key figure in the country's rebuild after the decline of their golden generation.
Finalising the signing on Monday is a huge statement and represents a significant step towards breaking the dominance of the Premier League’s traditional top six.
Amadou Onana Transfer Value - how much is he worth now?
According to our Player Valuation Model, Onana has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €17.1 million.
With Everton at risk of failing to comply with profitability and sustainability (PSR) regulations, it was evident that he would be one of the high-value players likely to be sold.
His international experience and high potential attracted interest from clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, and Newcastle.
However, Villa have moved swiftly to secure his services, offering a club-record fee of €60 million.
Can Onana fill Douglas Luiz’s boots?
Douglas Luiz was a perfect fit for Unai Emery’s vision - a combative central midfielder capable of doing it all.
While the sale of the Brazilian helped the club keep in line with PSR rules, it left a significant gap to fill ahead of a crucial campaign for the Midlands club.
Emery will undoubtedly seek a replacement who can provide defensive solidity while excelling in possession. Is Onana up for this task?
The Belgian international boasts impressive physical attributes, allowing him to cover ground and dominate defensive duels. He made 3.06 tackles and 6.89 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, ranking high among his peers from the English top flight.
With his 6 ft 4 in frame, Onana is also a commanding presence in midfield, sitting in the top 1% of Premier League midfielders for aerial win rate (74.3%).
The midfielders on-ball quality is harder to showcase statistically due to Everton's third-lowest possession rate last season (40.1%).
However, the 22-year-old has demonstrated the ability to play precise and creative passes in the final third, ranking first for accurate passes (37.5) and second for accurate long balls (2.6) per 90 in the Toffees squad.
Offensively, Onana has the engine to carry the ball into space and crash the box, suggesting he is more than capable of being an all-round midfielder who can complement the more defensively minded Boubacar Kamara.
At Euro 2024, Onana was entrusted as the lone central midfielder in Belgium's last-16 game against France.
His ability to receive and progress the ball under pressure makes him an hybrid profile who is capable of fulfilling multiple midfield roles.
The former Lille man confidently states: “In a very humble way, I feel I can do it all. I have abilities that allow me to feel comfortable in any position in midfield.”
Champions League participation will require a deep squad, and while the signings of Enzo Barrenechea and Ross Barkley raise the floor of Villa’s midfield, Onana is a ceiling raising signing that will make them competitive on all fronts.
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