Manchester United is ready to replace Onana! A £50 million defensive midfielder has entered their midfield transfer shortlist, and he aims to join a top club.

This summer, Manchester United intends to offload 29-year-old goalkeeper André Onana, yet they could also pursue a younger Onana — Amadou Onana, the defensive midfielder from Aston Villa. The 24-year-old recently made it clear that his ambition is to move to a top-tier club.

In a recent interview with Belgium’s "Nieuwsblad," Amadou Onana said: "Yes, I hope one day to transfer to a world-class club. That is truly my professional aim. Now that I am 24, I feel fully matured. Over the past months, I have played at my best level yet, and Emery has helped me improve significantly. After playing for Everton, I had contact with several top clubs, but ultimately chose Villa because I felt it was the best decision for me at the time."

The 24-year-old Belgian international Onana joined Villa from Everton in July 2024 for £50 million and has become an indispensable starter. With Boubacar Kamara out for the season, he has taken on the key defensive midfield role, appearing 24 times this season. Recently, Onana has been linked as a potential midfield target for Manchester United in the summer transfer window.

Former Manchester United chief scout Mike Brown confirmed: "I wouldn’t be surprised if Onana leaves Villa. From Villa’s perspective, they want to raise their level, and Onana’s ambitions help with that. But if he can’t achieve his goals at Villa, naturally he’ll want to join a bigger club. Of course, I don’t think they want that to happen."

Regarding Onana’s capability to play for Manchester United, Brown added: "Since Onana joined Villa, I’ve been very impressed by him; he’s truly a pleasant surprise. I understand his mindset, and he definitely has the ability to make a move to a big club. His level is more than sufficient."

Pete O’Rourke from "Football Insider" said: "This would be an interesting transfer. Before Onana’s £50 million move to Villa, Manchester United also tried to hijack the deal at the last moment to get him from Everton. I’ve heard that United is still closely monitoring Onana, who is a key player in Emery’s team. Casemiro will leave United at the end of this season, and Ugarte’s future is uncertain. Their midfield needs strengthening, and Onana has been a player the club has long been interested in. He’s still on the list, but probably not at the very top."

According to his agent, Onana did not choose to transfer to Manchester United initially because the Red Devils contacted him too late, and by then he had already committed to Villa and did not want to go back on his word.

Manchester United’s top summer targets like Elliott Anderson, Adam Walton, Carlos Baleba, and Sandro Tonali each cost between £80 million and £100 million, with heavy competition from clubs like Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal. If they cannot secure these players, United will have to look for alternatives. Since Villa paid £50 million for Onana, his price is unlikely to be low either.

The British newspaper The Sun revealed that the soon-to-be 34-year-old Casemiro might join Inter Miami, where Messi plays, next season. He recently visited Florida for a vacation and to assess the situation there, planning his next move after the June World Cup in North America. Inter Miami, owned by Beckham, may sign him as a replacement for Busquets, the former Barcelona midfielder who plans to retire after this season.

Brazilian powerhouse São Paulo has also extended an offer to "Big Tiger," willing to provide a "2+1" year contract. São Paulo is the club where Casemiro began his professional career.