Transfer links between Amadou Onana and Arsenal appear to be at an end with Aston Villa closing in on a deal to sign the Everton midfielder.

David Ornstein reported for The Athletic on Saturday morning that Aston Villa are in the process of finalising an agreement with Everton to sign Amadou Onana.

The deal is reportedly worth around £50m, with personal terms in place for a long-term contract.

Unai Emery had made Onana a key target, and the player is keen to play for the Spanish manager.

Arsenal had been credited with an interest in Onana at one stage, but that move certainly seems to be off the table now.

Whether Arsenal were ever in for Onana is more than a little dubious.

John Cross wrote for the Mirror in June that Onana was “definitely not” joining Arsenal this summer, adding that the media links raised eyebrows back in January as well.

Cross went as far as to claim Onana “is not the type of midfielder [Arsenal] want”.

Less than a week later, The Athletic reported that though Onana does have admirers at Arsenal, a move for his signature was never in the works this summer.

Further reports later in the month suggested a Champions League club had made contact with Everton over Onana, and some claimed it was Arsenal.

It now seems more likely it was actually Aston Villa, with Villa also in the Champions League next season.

Onana has agreed personal terms with Emery’s side and the deal is expected to complete this week as the midfielder joins Villa’s other new recruits – Ross Barkley and Enzo Barrenechea.

Having sold Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £42m, Villa are in no danger of breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.