LONDON, United Kingdom, July 22 – Aston Villa have signed midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton for a fee of £50 million.

The 22-year-old played every minute of Belgium’s 2024 European Championship and now gets the chance to represent Villa in the new season’s Champions League.

Onana joined Everton from Lille in 2022 for £33million and has made 72 appearances for the Toffees, scoring four goals.

He has been linked with a move to Arsenal in 2023, with several top clubs reportedly interested this summer.

Villa manager Unai Emery has been on the lookout for a new defensive midfielder after the club sold Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £42.35million in June.

“I’m going to play in the Champions League again and that’s very exciting,” said Onana.

“We also have a manager who is one of the best in the business and I think he can take my game to the next level.”

Onana added that Villa midfielder and team-mate at the Belgian club Youri Tielemans convinced him to join the Midlands club.

“Youri has played a big role in my being here because he has told me a lot of good things about the club,” said Onana.

Villa, who finished fourth in the Premier League last season, are strengthening their position for next season’s Champions League competition.

They have not played at that elite level since the 1982–83 season, the season after they won the European Cup.

Onana’s arrival takes Villa’s summer spend to around £140m.

Villa also spent £35m on the transfer of Ian Maatsen from Chelsea, £18.6m on the dual transfer of Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus, £18m on the return of Jaden Philogene from Hull, £5m on the move of Ross Barkley from Luton and £9m on the transfer of Lewis Dobbin from Everton.

They begin their Premier League campaign on Saturday, August 17 at West Ham.