Aston Villa's summer transfer plans were thrown into disarray after Amadou Onana suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury while on international duty with Belgium at the World Cup, according to BBC News. With Youri Tielemans also departing, Unai Emery's side were left with a significant void in midfield that needed filling.
The report describes the club's response as bringing in a "combative" midfielder at what's being called "a fair price" — though specific transfer details weren't outlined in the piece. The double blow of losing Onana to injury and Tielemans in a sale meant Villa had little choice but to move quickly in the market to reinforce that area of the pitch.
While the full picture of Villa's midfield rebuild remains to be confirmed, the injury to Onana clearly forced Emery's hand this summer, pushing the club into acting decisively to ensure they weren't left short-staffed in a crucial position heading into the new campaign.