Unai Emery could solve one of Aston Villa’s biggest problems of 2023/24 as the club close in on one impressive target.
It’s been a thrilling start to the summer transfer window for Aston Villa, who are looking to bolster their squad ahead of next season.
Unai Emery’s side will play among Europe’s elite in the Champions League next term, with a host of star talent arriving to strengthen quality.
In the coming days, the Villans are expected to complete further signings to add to the five players that have already been captured by Monchi, with one figure arriving with a reputation.
- READ MORE: Why Aston Villa’s new incoming signing picked Villa Park over other Premier League suitors
Aston Villa can solve a major defensive issue with Amadou Onana signing
On Saturday, it was announced by The Athletic that Aston Villa were close to securing the signature of Amadou Onana.
Villa were linked to Onana earlier this summer however, it’s now reported that a transfer is close with £50m as the finalised price.
It’s an extremely impressive piece of business from Villa, who can now solve one pressing issue in the squad by hiring the Belgian.
During the 2023/24 campaign, journalist John Townley pinpointed Villa’s key weakness as being a lack of height when defending set-pieces.
Speaking on the Claret and Blue podcast in March, the Villa expert concluded that Emery’s side looked “so vulnerable” as the Midlands club came up against opposition with players over six foot.
“…It seems to be every other week we are coming up against players who are over six feet. We’ve only got a couple.”
“You just think it’s a clear avenue for them to score goals. I don’t know exactly why we look so vulnerable.”
In recruiting 6 foot 3 Onana, Emery will have an imperious force in his midfield and a player that can bring far more than just a towering presence.
The numbers that prove how important Onana will be to Unai Emery
Despite being part of an Everton side that struggled throughout the 2023/24 campaign, Onana stood out as a bright spark in Sean Dyche’s squad.
The 22-year-old’s undeniable stature in the engine room made him a player that very few could pass, as reinforced by his numbers.
| Height | Aerial win % | Aerial wins per 90 | |
| Boubacar Kamara | 6 foot | 43.2% | 1.04 |
| Douglas Luiz | 5 foot 7 | 58.1% | 0.75 |
| Youri Tielemans | 5 foot 7 | 59.1% | 0.72 |
| John McGinn | 5 foot 8 | 32.1% | 0.27 |
| Amadou Onana | 6 foot 3 | 74.3% | 2.24 |
As per FBref, the Toffees star ranked in the top 1% of midfielders in the Premier League when it came to his stellar percentage of aerials won per 90.
When analysing the table above of how Onana compared to Villa’s midfielders last season, it’s abundantly clear why Monchi thought to target the Belgium international.
Scout Antonio Mango once lauded the Villa target as being “one of the most imposing figures in world football”, dubbing him a “physical specimen”, emphasising the strength of the pending signing.
Last season, Townley was concerned about the vulnerability of Villa at defending aerial situations, something that Onana will undoubtedly assist Emery in fixing next term.
