Aston Villa completed the signing of midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton in a transfer worth £50 million.
The 22-year-old participated in every minute of Belgium’s Euro 2024 campaign and now has the chance to represent Villa in the upcoming season’s Champions League.
Onana transferred to Everton from Lille for £33m in 2022 and played 72 games for the Toffees, scoring four goals.
He was rumored to be moving to Arsenal in 2023, and several top clubs were reportedly interested this summer.
Villa manager Unai Emery had been looking for a new defensive midfielder after the club sold Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £42.35m in June.
“I’ll be playing in the Champions League again and that’s very exciting,” said Onana.
“We also have a manager that’s one of the best in the business and I think he can take my game to the next level.”
Onana also mentioned that Villa midfielder and Belgium team-mate Youri Tielemans helped persuade him to join the Midlands club.
“Youri played a big part in me being here because he told me lots of good stuff about the club,” said Onana.
Villa, who finished fourth in the Premier League last term, are strengthening for the challenge of Champions League competition in the coming campaign.
They have not featured at that elite level since the 1982-83 season, the campaign after they won the European Cup.
The arrival of Onana has taken Villa’s summer spending to about £140m.
Villa have also spent £35m on signing Ian Maatsen from Chelsea, £18.6m on the double signing of Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus, £18m on Jaden Philogene’s return from Hull, £5m on Ross Barkley’s move from Luton and £9m on Lewis Dobbin’s transfer from Everton.
They will begin their Premier League campaign at West Ham on Saturday, 17 August.
