Aston Villa are finalising an agreement with Everton to sign Amadou Onana.
A deal worth around £50m was reached, while Villa and the 22-year-old agreed non-public terms for a long-term contract.
Onana, a key target for manager Unai Emery ahead of Villa’s Champions League debut next season, is understood to be enthusiastic about the Spaniard and his team.
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Everton’s stance is that the sale of Onana means they will sell Jarrad Branthwaite this summer, barring incredibly ample offers for the centre-back.
Everton Branthwaite, who narrowly missed out on a place in England’s Euro squad, is in the same category as fellow centre-backs Harry Maguire, Wesley Fofana and Josko Gvardiol, all of whom have been sold in recent summers for higher fees. of £75 million.
The club have already rejected two offers from Manchester United for the 22-year-old this summer, the most recent of £45m plus an additional £5m.
Onana has a key player for Everton, with 72 appearances (adding 37 last season in all competitions) since arriving from Lille for an initial £30m in the summer of 2022.
Athletic have reported that Everton are aware that the average expenditure on midfielders of Onana’s calibre has ranged between £60 and £70 million in recent years and hopes to recoup the fees.
The French club is entitled to 20% of the profit made on any sale.
Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle United have already received interest, while Bayern Munich and Barcelona are also well-known admirers.
Onana took part for Belgium at this summer’s European Championship, but his country was eliminated by France in the round of 16 of the tournament.
Villa signed two central midfielders this summer with the additions of Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus and Ross Barkley from Luton Town, while Douglas Luiz left for Juventus and Tim Iroegbunam joined Everton.
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