How can Aston Villa replace Onana

Aston Villa's rise under Unai Emery over the past few years has been nothing short of spectacular, and has allowed the club to become one of the Premier League's leading forces.

The Spaniard lifted the Villans from the mid-table mediocrity of Europe's perennial contenders – something that would have been unthinkable just a few seasons ago.

Last season's Europa League final victory over Freiburg in Istanbul created a new record for the club and finally ended their 30-year wait for any form of silverware.

However, it is imperative that the manager bring Emery back into the transfer market this summer to allow the manager to build on his recent Europa League title.

How can Aston Villa replace Amadou Onana

The central midfielder was certainly an area the Villa recruitment team would be looking to improve in this summer's window.

However, the importance of finding new options in the aforementioned department has increased after Amadou Onana was seriously injured in the World Cup.

The Belgian international has been withdrawn from the USA following a freak fall, with scans confirming an ACL injury, which will rule him out for the next nine months.

It's a real shame for a player who has been plagued by injuries in the West Midlands, Emery needs to try and find a solution to this issue.

Victor Lindelof could be forced to work as a midfielder for the Villans again next season – a role he appeared in in the closing weeks of the 2025/26 season.

Ross Barkley is a player who looks to be nearing the exit door at Villa Park, while Douglas Luiz will not return to the club following the expiry of his loan.

Boubacar Kamara is also sidelined until 2027 initially with his knee issue, which could see Youri Tielemans, Lamare Bogarde and Lindelof as the club's only viable options for midfielders.

The £7m target could be Onana's successor

There is no denying that the three players mentioned above are more than capable of stepping up to the next level, but depth in the squad and more quality is undoubtedly needed in midfield.

The balance between the Premier League and Champions League will be important next term and Emery will be looking for more options to help cope with the increased demand.

As a result, Aston Villa's management have already started working on a number of potential additions, including midfielder Pedro Vite from Mexico's Pumas.

It was reported by Ole via Sport Witness that the Villans have already contacted the 24-year-old's current employers for more information on a potential deal.

The report also claims that Pumas are yet to receive bids for the Ecuador international this window, but could let him leave for around £7m before the end of the summer.

Vite may be an unknown quantity to many Villa fans, but he is a player who caught the eye of his country during the ongoing World Cup across the pond.

The 24-year-old has started all four of Ecuador's matches at the tournament, his subtle stats showing his impressive ability at both ends of the pitch.

He managed to create 2.2 chances per 90 while completing an average of 67 successful passes per game – both marks ranked him in the top 10% of players in the competition.

Then they highlighted his great ability to dictate the game, as Onana did when he was fit and picked by Emery at Villa Park a few months ago.

However, outside of football, Vite also managed to impress in America, after which he won 5.8 ground duels and made 1.5 separations in 90.

His tackle figures of 3.8 and possession of 7.3 balls per 90 also ranked him in the top 5% of midfielders in the competition – further highlighting his incredible ability to win balls.

Such levels are very similar to those produced by Onana before his injury, with Vite a player who can fill the void left by the Belgian when he was dropped.

£7m for a player of the Ecuadorian's caliber would be an impressive piece of business for Villa and could see huge profits made in the coming years.

At just 24, he has time to develop in his career and could be Onana's long-term solution if he were to leave the West Midlands.