Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has urged the club to finalize a deal for goalkeeper Andre Onana as quickly as possible. However, he does have a backup plan in case the deal falls through. Ten Hag is looking to bring in a new goalkeeper urgently after losing last season’s Golden Glove winner, David de Gea, who decided to leave the club on a free transfer.
The Red Devils had hoped De Gea would delay finding a new club until they had more clarity over their pursuit of Onana. However, De Gea announced his departure on Saturday. United is currently in talks with Inter to sign the Cameroonian shot-stopper, and the club remains optimistic about finding a breakthrough. So far, Inter has stuck to their £51 million valuation.
Ten Hag is eager for the deal to be concluded swiftly so that Onana can join the squad on their pre-season tour of the United States. However, he is willing to trust the club’s current goalkeeping options if an agreement is not reached. Ten Hag believes that the goalkeeper position is crucial but expressed satisfaction with the players they currently have.
In the pre-season match against Leeds in Oslo, Tom Heaton started in goal for United, with youngster Matej Kovar playing in the second half. Dean Henderson, who was on loan at Nottingham Forest last season, did not travel to Norway as he is still recovering from an injury sustained in January. United is currently in talks to sell Henderson to Forest. If a deal for Onana does not materialize, Henderson could potentially become United’s number one goalkeeper next season.
Ten Hag confirmed that Henderson is a genuine option if United fails to secure Onana’s signature. He stated that he followed Henderson throughout the whole season and believes in his abilities. This suggests that Henderson could be given a chance to prove himself as the first-choice keeper.
In addition to discussing the goalkeeping situation, Ten Hag also hinted at a potential change in captaincy. He suggested that Harry Maguire could be stripped of the captaincy, regardless of whether he stays at United or not. Maguire has dropped down the pecking order and is now fifth choice. Ten Hag stated that he will make the decision on who succeeds Maguire as skipper, indicating that he will not let the dressing room vote.
Overall, Ten Hag is eager for United to wrap up a deal for Onana quickly but is prepared to rely on the club’s current goalkeeping options if necessary. Henderson could potentially become the first-choice keeper next season if a deal for Onana falls through. Additionally, there may be a change in captaincy, with Maguire potentially being replaced by another player chosen by Ten Hag. The upcoming pre-season tour of the United States will provide further opportunities for the team to assess their options and make any necessary decisions.