United reignite interest in no-nonsense PL midfield general after missing out on him last summer – report

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana once again, after narrowly missing out on his signing last summer.

United had shown strong interest in Onana, who stood out with a string of impressive performances despite Everton’s difficult league campaign in 2023/24.

At times, it looked like United were going to land him but he ended up joining Villa instead.

Villa forked out a club record £50m to ward off competition from United and other competitors, including Arsenal, to land Onana.

The Red Devils went on to sign Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain later in the window for an initial fee of £42.2m, which could rise to £50.7m with add-ons.

Despite some solid performances at United in his maiden year in England, Ugarte has yet to fully convince that he is the right long-term fit for the club. Questions especially linger over his limitations on the ball.

Meanwhile, Onana thrived during a standout season with Villa, who narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification after a 2-0 defeat to United on the final day. Despite injuries, Onana still managed 34 appearances across all competitions. He contributed five goals in this period.

The defensive midfielder has barely put a foot wrong at Villa, earning plaudits for his aggressive ball-winning, sharp reading of the game, and proactive style. Onana pairs his top-tier passing ability with immense strength and physical presence, often overpowering opponents with ease.

The middle of the park is an area of the pitch United could look to bolster this summer, in an effort to bring in midfielders suited to Ruben Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 setup.

According to Marca’s Chris Winterburn, Onana appears to be back on United’s radar once again.

Winterburn notes that “there is interest” in the Belgium international. However, it may be difficult to get a deal done because Villa would undoubtedly slap a hefty price tag on him.

form of action ahead of June 30 where all sorts of shady business tends to get done these days. Garnacho and Rashford sales could occur before that time if other PL clubs want to do deals. There is interest in Amadou Onana, but it’s difficult to see a good price being found.

— Chris Winterburn (@cmwinterburn) June 23, 2025

It’s understood player sales could help United if they intend to press forward for Onana.

Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho’s exits could add much-needed funds to United’s transfer budget, which has been depleted by the arrival of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers and the imminent signing of Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.

Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images

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