Roland Cutinho
Manchester United were interested in Denzel Dumfries before pouncing on Andre Onana’s deal
Manchester United have successfully acquired the services of Inter Milan shot-stopper Andre Onana.
However, the African ace was not the only player that caught the attention of manager Erik ten Hag, as he initially engaged in discussions about another player.
The Cameroonian goalkeeper has successfully completed negotiations and is now a United player. He is set to take on the role of the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.
Interestingly, originally, Ten Hag had been in discussions about another Nerazzurri star, Denzel Dumfries, indicating a potential interest in an attacking full-back. However, the possibility of signing Onana emerged during the talks.
According to the Athletic [subscription required] (h/t the Daily Express), the Dutch boss was in conversation with Yalcin Sarica, a senior agent at Wasserman Media Group, discussing the full-back, who boasts 45 international caps.
During the conversation, Sarica, who was also representing Onana, mentioned the goalkeeper, which piqued Ten Hag’s interest in signing him.
As a result of these discussions, the shot-stopper eventually joined Man United and is now set to be the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.
Although Dumfries could have been an excellent addition to the Red Devils, the club needed a new player to guard their nets since they were already dealing with David de Gea’s uncertain future.
Hence, it makes sense for United to go after their desired targets at that moment. They are well stocked with options at the right-back position, with Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka covering that role.
Hence, a move for the Milan keeper did make sense. Onana and Ten Hag, who previously worked together for four years at Ajax, have finally reunited again at Old Trafford.
During their time together, they achieved remarkable success, reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League with a dynamic and youthful team in 2019.
The African star’s arrival will enable the Dutch manager to further instil his playing philosophy, benefiting from his impressive ball-playing abilities.
One significant advantage Onana possesses over former United goalkeeper De Gea is his ability to play out from the back.
Inter’s financial troubles, though somewhat relieved by their journey to the Champions League final, led them to consider selling their prized asset for the right price.
Initially, they quoted a fee that exceeded United’s budget, but after negotiations, the two parties reached a compromise on a suitable transfer fee.
Things would have been very different had the Red Devils decided to move for Dumfries, which could have been a costly affair. The fans have shown faith in Ten Hag’s transfer plans since his arrival at the Theatre of Dreams.
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He has rightly won their belief since his most recent signings have done really well for Man United.
But who knows? Maybe Dumfries could be his next target anytime in the future. We all know that the Dutch boss loves to manage the Eredivisie players.
