“Let’s not kid ourselves” - Amadou Onana’s sister who works as his agent reveals why she turned down Manchester United despite better offer

Melissa, the sister and agent of Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana, has revealed why she didn't consider Manchester United despite the Red Devils submitting a better offer than Villa.

Onana, 24, joined Villa Park in the summer of 2024 from Everton in a deal reportedly worth €60 million. The defensive midfielder has since made 43 appearances across competitions for Villa, scoring six times, including a solitary strike from nine outings this season.

Melissa explained that her brother eventually went to Villa because they presented a better sporting project than United, telling Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri (courtesy Walfoot via Mirror):

"Aston Villa's sporting project was crystal clear. It was a project where Amadou could continue to develop. We spoke with the sporting director, and the salary was also attractive. Let’s not kid ourselves."

She admitted interest from United with the Euros looming but found Villa to be a better fit and that she had already given her word to the Villans:

"The Euros were coming up. Amadou was performing well, and we finalised the deal. Then, Manchester United entered the picture. But I had already given my word to Aston Villa.

"We knew very well that Manchester would be able to offer better financial terms, but we had already given our word to Aston Villa, and the project was a good fit. The style of football played, the club’s ambition: Amadou felt right at home there."

Erik ten Hag was the United manager at the time before current boss Ruben Amorim succeeded him in November last year after a forgettable start to the 2024-25 season.

What's next for Manchester United?

Manchester United are coming off a thrilling come-from-behind last-gasp 2-2 Premier League draw at Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, extending their unbeaten run in the competition to five games

The Red Devils led through Bryan Mbuemo's first-half strike but trailed in the first minute of stoppage time before Matthijs de Ligt bagged a dramatic 96th-minute equaliser.

Following a second straight stalemate, Amorim's side next take on Everton at home in the league on November 24. They're seventh in the standings, with 18 points from 11 games, winning five.

Edited by Bhargav