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Transfers
Manchester United’s ‘last-minute hijack’ attempt to sign Aston Villa target has just failed
Manchester United have attempted to hijack Aston Villa’s move to sign one of Unai Emery’s key targets.
The Villans have been very active in the market recently.
Emery has already signed the likes of Ross Barkley, Samuel Iling-Junior, Lewis Dobbin, Enzo Barrachenea and Ian Maatsen in this window, but he isn’t done just yet.
Aston Villa have been keen to sign one more top-quality player and just when it looked like a deal was done, Manchester United attempted a hijack.
But, there is some good news for Aston Villa fans.
Manchester United attempt to hijack Aston Villa’s Amadou Onana move
Amadou Onana has been a wanted man since the turn of 2024.
The Everton midfielder has earned a lot of admirers in the Premier League since he joined the Toffees from Lille in the summer of 2022.
A number of top clubs in the country have been linked with a move to sign him, but reports revealed that Aston Villa had agreed a deal to get Onana.
All things pointed to a straightforward transfer, and it was even claimed that Aston Villa would announce Onana’s signing by Monday.
However, Manchester United sensed an opportunity and attempted a move.
That’s according to Sacha Tavolieri, who revealed on that Erik ten Hag’s side have tried to land Onana by hijacking Aston Villa’s move to sign him.
However, the Belgian midfielder had promised Emery that he would be joining him, and he has decided to honour his words and move to Villa Park.
The Birmingham club will pay Everton an initial £45 million for Onana.
The journalist tweeted: “Manchester United did a LAST MINUTE hijack for Amadou Onana! MUFC was matching Aston Villa Football Club’s offer with higher financial terms, but Onana had given his word to Unaï Emery and prioritised the sporting project.
“Amadou Onana returning back from holidays will fly to Birmingham in order to make his medical tests and complete his move with AVFC on Sunday. Final detailed agreement on the verge of being found between Everton and AVFC: £45m as a transfer fee and £5M as a bonus + 10% on the added value/profit.
“As revealed here on Saturday 13th July, it’s well and truly a five-year contract. Deal scheduled to be announced by Villa on Monday.”
Aston Villa can offer one thing that Manchester United can’t
Aston Villa really do mean business in this window.
Emery has completely revolutionised the club since he replaced Steven Gerrard at Villa Park, and he has taken them to a whole new level.
The Villans finished fourth in the Premier League table last season – four places and eight points ahead of Ten Hag’s Manchester United.
That means Villa will be in the Champions League next season, while the Red Devils won’t. Perhaps that was also a factor in Onana’s decision to snub United’s late interest.
As things stand, Onana is on his way to Aston Villa and something dramatic will have to happen for that to change.