Roland Cutinho
Manchester United take the first step in securing the African honcho’s services by presenting their first unofficial bid
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have presented a new verbal offer worth £39 million (including add-ons) for Inter Milan shot-stopper Andre Onana.
It’s no secret that United are actively searching for a new goalkeeper as contract negotiations with David de Gea have extended beyond his contract expiration date.
While the club continues to engage in talks with De Gea regarding a potential new contract, as stated by the Times [subscription required] (h/t talk sport), manager Erik ten Hag has provided no guarantees that the Spaniard is his top choice for the goalkeeper position. Hence, he is now exploring the market for a new number one.
Romano has now provided a piece of updated information by stating that the Red Devils have submitted a verbal offer amounting to a total package of £39 million (including add-ons) for Onana.
Inter Milan are anticipating an offer worth €60m (including add-ons) but have not yet, officially turned down United’s approach.
The deal has not been made official yet but an announcement is expected soon. Onana is open to joining Old Trafford as he aims to reunite with manager Erik ten Hag.
The 27-year-old has previously worked under the Dutch boss at Ajax, where he played a crucial role in helping Ten Hag’s team reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in 2019, narrowly missing out on a spot in the final.
Ten Hag is eager to add a goalkeeper who possesses good ball-playing abilities and the Cameroonian international is believed to be a top target for the summer.
Onana has made a significant impact at the San Siro, quickly becoming the team’s first-choice goalkeeper ahead of long-standing starter Samir Handanovic.
Inter Milan CEO Giuseppe Marotta confirmed that United have shown interest in signing Onana, who impressively kept 19 clean sheets in 41 appearances for his parent club last season. The Serie A giants are in a situation where they need to sell players this summer before making new signings.
Therefore, they are open to the idea of cashing in on Onana, considering that his sale would result in a significant profit in terms of capital gains since he initially joined the club on a free transfer.
Both clubs are expected to continue negotiations, but Inter are keen on finalising their transfer business before July 20, as they have a pre-season tour scheduled in Japan.
However, the Nerazzurri’s valuation of the African ace is higher than what Man United can afford, as the club aims to avoid breaching Financial Fair Play regulations. Ten Hag is said to have a transfer budget of £100-120m this summer, which could increase if certain first-team players are sold.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils have recently secured the signing of Chelsea star Mason Mount, with the club shelling out £60m on the midfielder. This transfer has consumed a significant portion of their summer transfer budget.
United have faced criticism for their approach of negotiating deals one at a time, which have resulted in missed opportunities for important targets in recent years.
In the current transfer market landscape, clubs tend to work on multiple deals simultaneously, but United have been slow to adapt to this trend.
Having successfully secured the signing of Mount, United must now shift their focus to finalising a deal for Onana before facing potential competition from other clubs, including Chelsea, who are also in the market for a new goalkeeper.
Chelsea’s ability to offload several players in recent weeks gives them the financial power to rival United. However, the presence of Ten Hag could play a significant role in attracting Onana to Old Trafford.
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This factor may give United confidence in winning the race for Onana’s signature if they can reach an agreement with Inter Milan. The fans will have their ‘fingers crossed’ for a deal to be struck soon.
