Man Utd ‘keeping tabs’ on Aston Villa star as Ratcliffe considers £140m midfield overhaul | OneFootball

According to reports, Manchester United are ‘keeping tabs’ on Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana as they search for a long-term replacement for Casemiro.

Onana moved to the Premier League in August 2022 when he joined Everton from Lille for around £35million.

He spent two seasons at Goodison Park before completing a reported £50million move to Aston Villa.

The Senegalese-born Belgian international scored on his Villans debut against West Ham and has made 58 appearances in total, netting seven times.

Onana has previously been linked with several Premier League heavyweights, including Arsenal, and could secure a surprise move to Manchester United this summer, two years after they failed to lure him away from Everton.

Man Utd midfield rebuild: Casemiro exit and Ugarte doubts

According to Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, Onana could emerge as a serious option for United, with Casemiro set to leave the club and Manuel Ugarte’s future uncertain.

Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, O’Rourke said: “It will be an interesting one.

“Obviously, United did make a late move to try and sign Onana from Everton before he made that big £50m move to Aston Villa.

“I think right now, I’m sure United have continued to keep tabs on Onana, who has become a key man for Unai Emery’s side.

“Casemiro is leaving at the end of the season. There’s doubts over Ugarte’s future as well.

“So look, they’re going to need strengthening in that midfield position.

“Onana is a player that they’ve had previous interest in. So I think it’s one of those where he probably still remains on the list, but he’s probably not at the top of it.”

Nottingham Forest, Brighton and Crystal Palace stars also on shortlist

Signing a midfielder has long been part of United’s summer plan, and there has been plenty of talk of two arrivals in that area.

Casemiro’s expected departure when his contract expires would almost guarantee at least one new signing, with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton all reportedly of interest.

United are unlikely to sign more than one of those three, however, as each is expected to cost at least £70million.

It would make more sense for the club to recruit one of Anderson, Baleba or Wharton and then add a cheaper alternative, potentially from abroad.

Aston Villa stance and potential transfer fee for Onana

Onana does not fit the exact profile of those three midfielders and should not necessarily be viewed as an alternative, but rather as a different type of addition.

Given Villa paid £50million for the 24-year-old, they will not want to make a loss, nor would that make any financial sense.

He is entering his prime years and remains an important player for Unai Emery, meaning he could command a similar fee to someone like Baleba.

Unless the United hierarchy, led by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, are prepared to allocate the bulk of their summer transfer budget to overhauling the midfield – rather than strengthening other areas – it seems unlikely that Onana will swap Villa Park for Old Trafford.