In a revealing insight into one of the 2024 summer transfer window's most intriguing sagas, it has emerged that Amadou Onana turned down a lucrative approach from Manchester United to complete his £50 million move to Aston Villa.
The disclosure comes directly from the Belgian international's agent and sister, Melissa Onana, who explained that her brother had already committed to Villa manager Unai Emery before United attempted to hijack the deal at the eleventh hour.
The Project That Won Onana's Commitment
Speaking to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Melissa Onana detailed the reasoning behind choosing Villa Park over Old Trafford. "Aston Villa's sporting project was crystal clear," she stated. "It was a project where Amadou could continue to develop. We spoke with the sporting director, and the salary was also attractive, let's not kid ourselves."
The transfer context was particularly fascinating. Villa had just secured Champions League qualification after an impressive campaign, while Manchester United had finished a disappointing eighth in the Premier League under Erik ten Hag. United's only route into European football came through their 2024 FA Cup final victory against Manchester City, which granted them Europa League access.
Despite United's ability to offer significantly better financial terms, the Onana camp remained committed to their original agreement. "Then, Manchester United entered the picture. But I had already given my word to Aston Villa," Melissa explained. "We knew very well that Manchester would be able to offer better financial terms, but we had already given our word to Aston Villa, and the project was a good fit."
From Everton to Villa: Onana's Rising Trajectory
Onana's journey to becoming Aston Villa's record signing began in the 2.Bundesliga with Hamburger SV, where his potential was evident even as a teenager. His performances earned him a move to French side Lille, where he enjoyed a standout debut season that included Champions League football and winning the Trophée des Champions.
His £33 million transfer to Everton followed, where he quickly became a fan favourite at Goodison Park. Across 72 appearances in two seasons, the midfielder established himself as a Premier League force, helping the Toffees avoid relegation during challenging periods.
Living Up to the Price Tag at Villa Park
The £50 million transfer made Onana the most expensive player in Aston Villa's history. His debut season in claret and blue saw him make 34 appearances across all competitions, scoring five goals despite being hampered by hamstring issues.
This campaign has shown signs of the midfielder truly finding his rhythm. After returning from another hamstring problem between matchdays three and six, Onana has been instrumental in Villa's recent resurgence. The team has won four of the five league matches he's featured in since his return.
His influence was particularly evident in Villa's last outing before the international break - a resounding 4-0 victory against high-flying Bournemouth, where Onana found the net himself.
"Everyone's delighted, it was our biggest victory of the season," Onana commented after the match. "Four goals, four different goal scorers - it doesn't get any better than that... We beat them at their own game. They're a very intense team, but today in the duels we were really aggressive. We were spot on."
As Onana joins the Belgian national team during the international break, Villa fans will be hoping their record signing continues his impressive form upon return, starting with a challenging away fixture against newly-promoted Leeds United.
