Roland Cutinho
Beppe Moratta confirms Inter Milan are waiting for Manchester United to bid for Andre Onana
According to The Athletic, Inter Milan CEO Beppe Moratta has confirmed that Manchester United are interested in signing Andre Onana. He goes on to add that the Serie A giants are waiting for the first official bid for the goalkeeper.
With one comes another, and that has been the case for Man United this season. After all the rumours surrounding current first-choice keeper David de Gea’s future at Old Trafford, the club have officially confirmed that the Spaniard has become a free agent as of Friday midnight.
The club faces a race against time to solve their keeper issues in the competitive summer transfer market. Erik ten Hag has kept it no secret that he wants to sign a new goalkeeper on a priority basis after securing a move for Chelsea’s Mason Mount just two days prior.
The Red Devils were working on a new contract to keep De Gea at Old Trafford and put an end to this case. However, the club decided to make a U-turn on this deal, only to come back with a reduced wage package.
The 32-year-old recently posted a yawning emoji on social media, suggesting that he is getting bored of the ongoing transfer speculations. Either way, it would appear that a parting of the ways is on the cards.
This chaos has led to the veteran keeper failing to sign a new contract before June 30. We can’t ignore the fact that De Gea could still depart the club, leaving United short of goalkeeper options.
Ten Hag blocked Tom Heaton‘s move to Luton Town for a similar reason, as Dean Henderson continues to struggle with a thigh injury. As things stand, United have only one keeper in their squad who is fit to represent the club in preseason.
Hence, it is common knowledge for the club to be linked to world-class goalkeepers. Man United’s pursuit of Inter Milan shot-stopper Onana, who previously played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax Amsterdam, has been widely known.
Earlier reports suggested that the two clubs were scheduled to meet in Ibiza on Friday, where United would present an offer for the Cameroonian goalkeeper. It was speculated that the Serie A giants would accept this proposal.
To spice things up, club CEO Beppe Moratta has now confirmed this interest from the Red Side of Manchester. Speaking at the Gran Gala (as stated by Athletic), Moratta said:
“Manchester United have expressed an interest (in Onana), which may or may not lead to an offer in the next few days. Once that happens, both Inter and the player will carefully assess it.”
As stated by the Times (h/t the Metro), Inter Milan are said to be requesting at least €60million (£52 million) for Onana, although there is still potential for negotiations. United can make the most of this deal by offering a slightly lower offer with more add-ons.
Inter Milan’s financial difficulties are widely known, and as a result, they are in a weak negotiating position. Hence, Onana represents their most lucrative option for generating funds.
He made a significant impact during Inter’s journey to the UEFA Champions League final and particularly impressed in a notable match against Manchester City. With his exceptional ball-playing skills, Onana is expected to bring a dynamic and significant improvement over De Gea‘s cautiousness in possession.
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The Cameroonian star would be an ideal fit for Ten Hag’s style of play, offering the qualities of a modern goalkeeper. While the deal is still in progress, the fact that the parties have taken initial steps by planning to submit a first bid suggests a level of confidence that it will eventually materialise.
This potential signing, coupled with the recent addition of Mount, could inject renewed excitement into a transfer window that initially appeared to be lacking positive developments.
