Manchester United are reportedly poised to be without Andre Onana for a quartet of matches this winter to start off 2024 if he returns to International duties with Cameroon.
The 27-year-old goalkeeper, who signed for the club from Inter earlier this summer for an estimated £45 million, has been one of the few shining lights in United’s tepid start to the season. Onana’s performances, which included several remarkable saves in a narrow 1-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers and a 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur, have caught the eye.
However, the Reds may have to face part of their campaign without their new acquisition between the sticks. Reports from La Tanière suggest that Onana is contemplating a return to international duty with Cameroon in September.
Onana had previously stepped away from international football during last winter’s Qatar World Cup, following a fallout with Cameroon manager Rigobert Song.
It appears now that a return to the national side might be on the cards, and if so, he could be the first-choice goalkeeper for Cameroon’s AFCON tournament, running from 13th January to 11th February 2024, thus meaning if they get the to final Onana will be away from United for up to a month, not ideal.
Should Cameroon progress to the latter stages of AFCON, Onana would likely miss Manchester United’s fixtures against Tottenham, Wolves, West Ham, and Aston Villa.
The initial justification for Onana’s sudden exit from the Cameroon squad was reportedly down to an unspecified disciplinary issue. However, it was later revealed that the rift with Song was rooted in a disagreement over Onana’s goalkeeping style.
Prominent football reporter Fabrizio Romano disclosed that Song had demanded a “more traditional” approach to goalkeeping – a stance that Onana was not willing to adopt.
The disagreement led Onana to resign from international duty, announcing his decision with a comprehensive social media post. In it, he expressed his efforts to resolve the situation but lamented the lack of cooperation from the other side.
“I have put all my efforts and energy into finding solutions to a situation that a footballer often experiences, but there has been no will on the other side,” Onana said. “Some moments are difficult to assimilate.”
He also said on social media: “Players come and go, names are fleeting, but Cameroon comes before any person or player. Cameroon remains eternal and so does my love for the national team.”
It would be a real blow for Manchester United to be without Onana in January, let’s hope this is a international rumour that is not true. There has been no word from Onana on this as yet.
