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- 22 minutes ago
Man Utd in €60m HIJACK as agent reveals all on shock offer
Tom Weber
- Updated: 10 Nov 2025 20:34 GMT
- 4 min read
News
Manchester United tried to hijack Amadou Onana's transfer to Aston Villa last year, according to his sister and agent Melissa.
The midfield department has repeatedly given those in charge of the Red Devils headaches in recent years. Ever since Erik ten Hag failed to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona, Man Utd have struggled to find the right combination of players for their engine room.
Veteran star Casemiro has had ups and downs since joining, the now-forgotten Sofyan Amrabat disappointed during his loan spell and Manuel Ugarte has become something of a persona non grata after his performance against Tottenham at the weekend.
Current ETV
Amadou Onana
DM, M (C)
Aston Villa
Amadou Onana
DM, M (C)
Aston Villa
ETV Range
€43.9M - €53.6M
Heading into 2026, signing a midfielder is once again top of the agenda. In fact, Man Utd could even add two or three, depending on outgoings and potential market opportunities.
However, it has now been revealed that Man Utd could have signed a reliable midfield solution last year. Before they went all-in on Ugarte, the Old Trafford club attempted to hijack Aston Villa's €60 million signing of then-Everton star Amadou Onana.
Man Utd wanted to hijack Onana deal
At least that is according to the Belgium star's sister and agent Melissa Onana, who has revealed that Man Utd tried to swoop in at a point at which a move to Villa Park had already been agreed.
“Aston Villa’s sporting project was crystal clear," she told journalist Sacha Tavolieri. "It was a project where Amadou could continue to develop. We spoke with the sporting director, and the salary was also attractive, let’s not kid ourselves.
“The Euros were coming up, Amadou was performing well, and we finalised the deal. Then, Manchester United entered the picture. But I had already given my word to Aston Villa.
“We knew very well that Manchester would be able to offer better financial terms, but we had already given our word to Aston Villa, and the project was a good fit. The style of football played, the club’s ambition: Amadou felt right at home there.”
Missing out on Onana would have felt like a blow to the Man Utd hierarchy at the time, but it will surely feel even worse now, considering the lack of impact Ugarte has had. Onana, for his part, has mostly been excellent for Aston Villa.
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