Aston Villa

Aston Villa

Premier League • England

The 10 most expensive Aston Villa signings of all time as £50m Amadou Onana takes top spot

Ollie Watkins, Amadou Onana and Pau Torres

Ollie Watkins, Amadou Onana and Pau Torres have all joined Aston Villa in big-money deals

Since being bought by Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens in the summer of 2018, Aston Villa have spent a lot of money in the transfer market.

They’ve also made a lot of progress on the pitch and Unai Emery led them to a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League in 2023/24, helping them secure qualification for the Champions League.

We’ve taken a look at the 10 most expensive signings in Villa’s history and how those players subsequently fared after completing the move.

Note: we’ve only used the initial transfer fees and haven’t taken into account any potential add-ons.

10. Lucas Digne – £23m

After Digne had a falling out with the then-Everton manager Rafa Benitez, Villa took advantage of the situation and bought the left-back in a £23million deal in January 2022.

He has been a reliable and ever-present performer for Villa in the last two-and-a-half years, making 93 appearances in all competitions.

But the France international – who is on a £120,000-per-week contract – now faces an uncertain future at Villa Park following the arrival of Ian Maatsen from Chelsea.

9= Danny Ings – £25m

Ings scored 46 goals in 100 appearances for Southampton and established himself as one of the best strikers in the Premier League.

Villa agreed to pay Southampton an initial £25million and another £5million in potential add-ons to secure his signature in the summer of 2021.

The England international failed to replicate his Southampton form in a Villa shirt, scoring just 14 goals in 52 appearances in all competitions.

He was sold to West Ham United in January 2023 in a deal worth an initial £12million and another £3million in potential add-ons.

9= Leon Bailey – £25m

Bailey joined Villa from Bayer Leverkusen in a £25million deal in the summer of 2021 and was tasked with filling the void left by Jack Grealish’s departure.

His debut season at Villa Park was hampered by injury problems and his second campaign was punctuated by inconsistent performances.

But the Jamaica international has thrived under Emery, and he finished the 2023/24 season with 14 goals and 14 assists in all competitions.

“His potential is amazing,” Emery said. “Progressively, he’s getting better and he’s humble to listen and improve. His qualities and skill… sometimes when we play at home, we watch him and think, ‘Wow, what a player’.”

7. Diego Carlos – £26m

Villa decided to bolster their defensive options in the summer of 2022 and they bought Carlos from Sevilla in a £26million deal.

The centre-back ruptured his Achilles tendon on his Villa Park debut and spent most of the 2022/23 campaign on the sidelines.

He bounced back to make 38 appearances in all competitions in 2023/24 but has struggled to regain the form that had made him a standout performer in Spain.

According to reports, Villa could sell the 31-year-old this summer as they look to get his £100,000-per-week wages off the books.

6. Ollie Watkins – £28m

Having worked with Watkins at Brentford, Dean Smith brought him to Villa Park in 2020 in a deal worth an initial £28million and another £5million in add-ons.

The 28-year-old has since blossomed into one of the best strikers in the Premier League, and he won Villa’s Player of the Season award in 2023/24.

“He’s amazing,” Emery said. “Because he’s a really hard worker and his commitment to work every day is amazing. When he is scoring goals, it’s the main objective he can have.

“Where he is assisting as well, he’s contributing to help the team. But even when he’s not doing both, he’s working for the team.

“Defensively, the commitment was always high. He is in the press to the opponent. His commitment and behaviour is always a very good example for others. His power is his mind. His mentality is the best quality he has.”

5. Pau Torres – £31.5m

Emery swapped Villarreal for Villa in October 2022 and then decided to raid his former club for Torres, who won the Europa League with his compatriot in 2020/21.

He had a £55.5million release clause in his Villarreal contract but Villa negotiated lower terms, paying an initial £31.5million and another £3.5million in add-ons.

The Spain international enjoyed a brilliant debut season at Villa Park and established himself as one of the best ball-playing centre-backs in the Premier League.

4. Emiliano Buendia – £33m

Bunedia helped Norwich City win the Championship title in 2020/21 and also picked up the Championship Player of the Season award.

Villa fought off competition from Arsenal and signed the midfielder in a deal worth an initial £33million and another £5million in potential add-ons.

He made a slow start to his Villa career and lost his place in the side after Steven Gerrard signed Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona.

The 27-year-old started to rediscover his best form under Emery, but he missed the entirety of the 2023/24 season with an ACL injury.

3. Ian Maatsen – £37.5m

A Chelsea academy graduate, Maatsen spent the second half of the 2023/24 season on loan at Borussia Dortmund and helped the Bundesliga side reach the Champions League final.

After Dortmund failed to secure his services on a permanent basis, Villa swopped in and agreed a £37.5million deal with Chelsea.

The left-back has signed a six-year contract at Villa Park and will now look to keep Lucas Digne and Alex Moreno out of the team.

2. Moussa Diaby – £43m

Villa won the race for Diaby’s signature in the summer of 2023 after they paid Bayer Leverkusen an initial £43million, with an extra £8.9million in potential add-ons.

While the France international showcased glimpses of his talent in the 2023/24 season, he struggled with inconsistency and was unable to justify that price tag.

Villa still managed to recoup their money by selling the winger to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad in a deal worth around £50.6million.

1. Amadou Onana – £50m

After selling Douglas Luiz to Juventus in the summer of 2024, Villa identified Onana as the ideal replacement for the Brazil international.

They agreed to pay Everton £50million for the Belgium international, making him the most expensive signing in the club’s history.

“There’s a healthy atmosphere here to grow as a player and as a man,” he said. “The team played very attractive football last season with loads of goals and will now be playing in the Champions League.

“I’ll be playing in the Champions League again and that’s very exciting. We also have a manager that’s one of the best in the business and I think he can take my game to the next level.”

READ MORE: Jack Grealish to Aston Villa? Reasons for and against stunning return

Aston Villa Ollie Watkins Amadou Onana

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