The Old Trafford gatekeeper is about to change.
The British “Guardian” reported on the 8th (current time): “Manchester United is moving quickly to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana. They are determined to replace their ‘No.1’ after signing Mason Mount for £55 million earlier this week,” the Guardian reported.
“Inter Milan are demanding more than 50 million euros ($71.4 billion) for Onana. United were hoping to settle for a lower fee and have made significant progress in the last two days. The signing of Onana will make David de Gea’s departure even more uncertain.”
Fabrizio Romano, who is well versed in the European football transfer market, said: “United are really close to signing Onana! The talks have been positive and a final bid should arrive soon, and then the deal will be finalized. Personal terms have already been finalized and will be completed next week. United want Onana to accompany them on their pre-season tour of the United States.”
Until last season, De Gea was regarded as one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s last legacies. Since joining the club in 2011, Mourinho has been in charge of an Old Trafford goal that has been shaky since Edwin van der Sar. He was praised for his lightning reflexes and fantastic saves.
However, his form has been very shaky of late. This is due to a noticeable increase in his clean sheets. In every important game, he has disappointed the fans with fatal mistakes that don”t live up to his name.
De Gea’s contract with United expired on June 30. United held out to sign De Gea to a lower weekly wage, even though he had agreed to a significant pay cut. United are looking to strengthen across all positions. To do so, they need to tinker with the existing salary structure. De Gea is one of the highest-paid players in England, so this is a big deal.
It has been suggested that Onana could be brought in to replace De Gea. His relationship with coach Erik ten Haag during his time at Ajax also adds weight. According to the UK’s The Athletic, “Discussions are ongoing between United and De Gea, but it is unclear if he will accept a new offer. The Red Devils are looking at other options and have been in contact with Onana in recent days.”
Global outlet Goal.com echoed the same sentiment, stating, “Manchester United are working to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Onana in the next two days. Inter director Piero Ausilio and United director David Harrison have met to discuss the possibility.”
Onana, a former Barcelona youth product, made his professional debut for Ajax in the 2016-17 season. He went on to become Ajax’s number one, improving markedly with each game. In 214 games for Ajax, he has scored 192 goals and kept 85 clean sheets.
The pinnacle came in the 2018-19 season. Ajax burst onto the scene in the UCL, beating Real Madrid and Juventus to reach the semifinals. Onana was solid in goal, keeping 13 clean sheets in 12 games from the group stage to the semifinals.안전놀이터
The form continued. Onana left Ajax to join Inter Milan, where he broke into the big leagues. Last season, the Nerazzurri won the Coppa Italia, the Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup), and finished runner-up in the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
Onana was approached by United, but the negotiations were not easy. Saudi Arabia, who have been scooping up superstars around the world with their oil money lately, approached.
“United are in a fierce battle for Onana, who is also attracting interest from clubs in the Saudi Arabian Professional League,” says the UK’s Sports Bible. “It’s been a long summer at Old Trafford, with a million transfer rumors swirling around the club, as they do every year.
“The goalkeeping position is under pressure with De Gea not signing a new contract. Mourinho is said to favor Inter Milan number one Onana, but is in competition with the Saudi. He played under Ten Haag at Ajax and is the complete opposite of De Gea in terms of his ability on the ball. He would suit the style that Van Gaal wants to play,” the source added.
However, the Guardian reports that United have made progress in negotiations, making the deal more likely. United are pulling the reins to keep Onana, a protege of Van Gaal.