Aston Villa are said to be closing in on a new contract agreement after striking a 'verbal agreement' with Ian Maatsen, but they must now turn their attention to Amadou Onana.

Unai Emery's men endured a difficult weekend having led 4-2 against Manchester United only to concede twice late on and draw 4-4.It was a sloppy finale from Villa, and Emery was left raging at the full-time whistle. That result followed an away defeat to Barcelona, so it's fair to say Villa go into the international break with a bitter taste in their mouths.

But there is some good news emerging on Monday, with Football Insider reporting that the club have verbally agreed a new contract with Maatsen, who has been a regular this season. The 24-year-old was already tied down until 2030, but Villa are now set to reward him with fresh terms and an extended deal, which is a wise move given his age.

Maatsen has stepped up following the exit of Lucas Digne, and most Villa fans are likely to be in agreement with the new deal when it is finalised.

Villa have other contracts to take care of

Villa are taking care of business with Maatsen, and it's believed they are close to announcing a new deal for Emiliano Buendia, whose current deal expires in the summer. Ross Barkley could be in line for a new deal ahead of his deal expiring in the summer, while there will be decisions to be made over John McGinn and Pau Torres, whose deals expire in the summer of 2028, when both players will be North of 30.

Though Pau Torres has already confirmed that he expects to rejoin hometown club Villarreal. He said earlier this year:

"If nothing strange happens, I will complete the two years I have left on my contract and that will be the end of my time at Aston Villa."

"What I would like is for Villarreal not to have to pay anything for me, to arrive as a free agent. It is the club of my life and I do not want them spending money to bring me back. If, when that moment comes, the coach at the club thinks I can provide what is needed, I would be delighted to return. It is something I have in mind and I have spoken about it with the president."

That likely means a new deal for Torres is not on the table, and so Villa should turn their attention to Onana, whose current deal is up in 2029. The midfielder has been vital to Emery's midfield, and his absence this season through a long-term injury has been felt. Onana said of the midfielder back in February: "His potential is still there, and when he is playing, being ready and 100 per cent, his performances are fantastic. He has progressed a lot since being here for a year and a half."

Onana's Premier League stats last season

• Appearances: 25
• Goals: 2
• Pass success: 87.4%
• Aerials won: 1.8 per game
• Tackles: 1.9 per game
• Clearances: 2.4 per game
• Tackles: 1 per game
• Dispossessed: 0.4 per game

Onana only recently turned 25 years of age, so there is no real concern over the long-term impacts of his injury, and given his importance, Villa don't want to find themselves in a situation where the Belgian has reduced time remaining on his contract and a top club comes and picks him off in Youri Tielemans style, albeit he had a release clause in his deal.

Villa won't be in a rush, given Onana is dealing with a long term issue, but when they look at their list of to-dos on the contract front, the midfielder is likely to be close to the top of it. And while it's a business way of thinking, Onana is likely to appreciate a longer term commitment without any significant wage boost at a time when he is coming back from a serious injury. That length commitment may be sufficient to strike a deal.