Emery explains Aston Villa’s Amadou Onana signing ahead of Everton clash

Unai Emery has admitted the ‘gap’ between Amadou Onana’s current ability and potential is ‘bigger’ than he first thought, but backed the Belgian to reach a ‘high’ level. 

The 23-year-old completed a £50m (per BBC Sport) from Everton this summer and has already scored two goals in three appearances for his new employers — matching his best season total for the Toffees.

Onana also has 20 caps for Belgium under his best and even at this young age, has worn the captain’s armband for the Red Devils.

Aston Villa boss Emery comments on Amadou Onana ‘potential’

Aston Villa’s Belgian defender Amadou Onana reacts during the pre-season friendly club football match between Germany’s BVB Borussia Dortmund and England’s Aston Villa FC in Dortmund, western Germany on August 10, 2024. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP)

Nevertheless, Emery has admitted Onana still has a lot of work to do if he’s to reach his full potential, but believes the Belgian can go on to be among the best midfielders in the world.

“We signed Amadou Onana because he is young and has big potential. We believe in his potential,” Emery told Sky Sports ahead of Aston Villa’s clash with Onana’s former club Everton on Saturday.

The Spaniard added: “The gap is at the beginning big, bigger than we analysed.

“But we are confident to increase his level in this gap to get to the level where we can think of him as a very good player in the future. He is [already] a very good player but we think he can improve and get to a high level as a player and help us a lot in this way.”


Source link : https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/09/14/aston-villa-unai-emery-on-amadou-onana-everton/

Author : CJ

Publish date : 2024-09-14 08:40:00

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