Aston Villa extends Amadou Onana until 2031: confidence after injury

Amadou Onana (25) has extended his contract with Aston Villa until 2031, despite the serious cruciate ligament injury that abruptly ended his World Cup participation against the United States. The Red Devil continues to rely on the 25‑year‑old midfielder, who, after an operation in July, is undergoing a rehabilitation of up to nine months.

Injury and rehabilitation

In the round of 16 against the United States, Onana started in the lineup, but after about twenty minutes he collapsed due to an odd knee movement. The diagnosis: a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He was taken off the field immediately and his World Cup adventure ended straight away. According to AFP, he has been undergoing an operation since the end of July, and the rehabilitation can last up to nine months; meanwhile, a month and a half has already passed.

Club confidence and contract extension

Despite the long recovery, Aston Villa has not lost confidence in the Belgian international. A tweet from the club confirmed that Onana has extended his contract by two additional seasons, meaning he now stays at the club until 2031. The official confirmation is still pending, but the extension is seen as a significant boost for his recovery process. Transfermarkt values him at €45 million, an amount that may still rise.

Onana witnessed the remarkable journey of the Red Devils at the World Cup. He started in the first match against Egypt, then became a substitute, and played a key role in the round of 16 against Senegal with a splitting pass to Diego Moreira that led to the decisive penalty, after which Youri Tielemans sealed the victory.

Leon Goretzka strengthens the squad

To cover Onana's void, Villa have brought in Leon Goretzka on a free transfer. The experienced German, long a regular at Bayern Munich, signed a contract until mid‑2028 with an option for an additional year. His arrival is meant to bolster the club's midfield options while Onana recovers.

Onana joined Aston Villa in the summer of 2024 for a fee of €60 million from Everton, after spells at Hamburger SV and LOSC Lille. Since then he has made 72 appearances for the club and scored seven goals.

Although the exact timing of his return is still unclear, Villa remain determined to keep the Belgian international for the long term. His contract extension until 2031 provides both the player and the club with stability in the coming years.