Aston Villa sweat on latest key player future as Saudi Pro League side 'make enquiry' for £50m sensation

Aston Villa could do with bringing in some more depth to their squad this summer. The Midlands outfit will be competing in Europe again next season. They missed out on the Champions League though after finishing outside the top five.

Unai Emery has the chance to bring in some new faces over the next couple of months. The former Arsenal man has a few areas in his squad that need tweaking. He also has the opportunity to let some players head out the exit door as well if needed.

Aston Villa ace Amadou Onana attracting Saudi Arabia interest

Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana has emerged on the radar of Al Hilal. According to reporter Sacha Tavolieri, the Saudi Pro League side have lodged an enquiry regarding the player’s availability. His current club would have a decision to make if a big money offer came in for his services in the transfer window.

Onana, 23, was snapped up for a whopping £50million in July last year. He was brought in to bolster their midfield ranks and left fellow top flight club team Everton in the process. The Belgium international, who has 20 caps under his belt so far in his career, has since enjoyed plenty of game time.

He made 34 appearances in all competitions in the last campaign, 26 of which came in the league, and he scored five goals. The Senegal-born man spent two years at Goodison Park before joining Aston Villa and found the net on four occasions in 72 outings for the Toffees. He has also had spells in the past at Anderlecht, Hoffenheim, Hamburg and Lille in Europe.

Will Amadou Onana leave Aston Villa?

It would be a surprise to see Onana leave Aston Villa for Al-Hilal, especially just 12 months into his deal. However, money talks and his head could be turned by the large amount of cash that would be on offer to him in the Middle East. Jhon Duran left for Al-Nassr last winter which shows people can be swayed.

After securing his move to Villa, he said at the time: “There’s a healthy atmosphere here to grow as a player and as a man. The team played very attractive football last season with loads of goals and will now be playing in the Champions League. I’ll be playing in the Champions League again and that’s very exciting. We also have a manager that’s one of the best in the business and I think he can take my game to the next level.”

“They (Aston Villa) just had a fantastic season with fourth place. This environment seemed the most conducive to my development & the fact that I can work with Unai Emery, one of the most skilled coaches around, also played a role. I can learn a lot from him.”

Regarding Emery, he added: “The manager is obsessed with details - that’s what makes him so special and so good. If you ask me, he’s one of the best in the industry, and he's made me personally a better player as well.”