Aston Villa could reignite pursuit of Ilaix Moriba after Amadou Onana’s injury | OneFootball

Aston Villa are considering a renewed move for Celta Vigo midfielder Ilaix Moriba after confirmation that Amadou Onana will spend around eight months on the sidelines.

The 24-year-old Belgian international suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during Belgium’s 4-1 victory over the United States in the World Cup Round of 16, leaving manager Unai Emery with a major void to fill in midfield just weeks before pre-season begins.

With Onana facing a lengthy rehabilitation, Villa’s recruitment team have quickly adjusted their summer strategy. Having already explored options for a dynamic box-to-box midfielder, the Midlands club may now target Moriba as the ideal solution to inject steel and energy into a squad preparing for a Champions League return.

Moriba has rebuilt his reputation as one of the most consistent performers in Spain’s top flight. The 23-year-old Guinean international anchored Celta Vigo’s midfield in 36 La Liga matches last season, playing a key role in securing European qualification for the Galician club.

He averaged 2.4 tackles per game and posted an impressive 88% pass completion rate, both improvements on Onana’s numbers.

While Celta are protected by Moriba’s long-term contract, which runs until 2029, their strict internal salary cap and sell-to-buy model mean a substantial Premier League offer could be difficult to reject.

With Brighton and Real Sociedad also monitoring the situation, Aston Villa are hoping to use the lure of immediate Champions League football to outmanoeuvre their rivals and secure a key midfield addition before the 2026/27 campaign begins.