Amadou Onana had a debut to remember for Aston Villa, and he’s now shared which of his teammates he believes will be ‘crucial’ this season after their win over West Ham.
Onana joined Aston Villa with high expectations, arriving from Everton for £50 million to fill the gap left by Douglas Luiz. His arrival was met with skepticism, with Martin Keown calling the decision to sell Luiz for Onana ‘bonkers,’ but the Belgian midfielder has quickly proven his worth.
The 22-year-old dominated the midfield as Villa secured a 2-1 victory over West Ham on the opening day, scoring a powerful header just four minutes into the match. His performance earned him the Man of the Match award from Sky Sports, rounding off an impressive debut alongside his international teammate, Youri Tielemans.
Onana has since identified the Villa player he believes will be key for Unai Emery this season, and his choice comes as no surprise.
Amadou Onana believes Jhon Duran will play a ‘crucial’ role at Aston Villa. Duran made a significant impact when he came off the bench to score the winning goal, silencing the home crowd. After being linked with a move to West Ham and causing a stir with an ‘irons’ gesture on Instagram Live, Duran’s decisive finish past Alphonse Areola in the final 10 minutes secured Villa’s three points on opening day. Following the dramatic win, Onana explained why he sees the 20-year-old as vital to Emery’s plans this season.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Onana said: “I think Jhon’s going to be a crucial player for us this season. He is a very talented young man. Big, fast, physical. I think he’s definitely committed to his task here and he’s ready to help the team anytime. We are delighted to have him.”
Amadou Onana’s stats vs West Ham highlight his all-around performance. While he opened the scoring, his contribution in midfield was exceptional. According to Sofascore, he completed 30 of his 31 passes (97%) and delivered two accurate long balls. Defensively, he was equally strong, winning six of eight ground duels, three aerial duels, and completing two interceptions and two tackles.
Although Villa fans may have been uncertain about whether Onana could adequately replace Luiz, his first competitive appearance suggests he’s set to become a fan favorite at Villa Park.
