Manchester United and Trabzonspor have reached a verbal agreement to take André Onana on loan, with the goalkeeper understood to be open to completing the move before Turkey’s transfer window closes on Friday.
The Cameroonian has lost his place to Altay Bayindir this season. Onana has started only United’s Carabao Cup 12-11 penalty shootout loss at Grimsby, in which he was culpable for both goals in the 2-2 draw in regular time.
The terms of the deal with Trabzonspor are still being worked on before Onana makes a final decision.
On Monday’s transfer deadline day, United signed Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp for €21m (£18m) to strengthen their options. With Lammens, Onana, Bayindir and Tom Heaton, the head coach Ruben Amorim has four goalkeepers in his squad.
Yet with Onana expected to be part of Cameroon’s squad for the African Cup of Nations and so unavailable for up to six weeks from mid-December, Amorim had been relaxed about having a quartet of keepers. Trabzonspor’s interest in the 29-year-old prompted a change in his stance.
Yet if Onana does complete the loan move, United could be exposed. Bayindir has made only seven Premier League appearances and has proved error-prone, while the 39-year-old Heaton last played in the league for Aston Villa in January 2020. The 23-year-old Lammens has never played in English football.
On signing, the Belgian said: “I think if you want to be a good goalkeeper, you have to be a rock behind the defence. They have to trust you and count on you in difficult moments. That is something I take pride in. One of the best attributes you can have as a goalkeeper is staying calm under pressure, in any circumstances, even if you make a mistake or something. You just move on and try to give your best to the team.”
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