Manchester United and Cameroon have reached an agreement regarding the departure of goalkeeper Andre Onana for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. Onana, who is United’s No.1 goalkeeper, was named in Cameroon’s 27-man squad for the tournament. However, he will now not leave Old Trafford until January 14, allowing him to play in the FA Cup third-round clash against Wigan on January 8 and the Premier League match with Tottenham six days later.
It is believed that Onana wanted to delay his international call-up in order to participate in the iconic English competition. Cameroon’s stars will meet up at a warm-up camp in Saudi Arabia, where they will play a friendly against Zambia on January 9 before heading to the Ivory Coast for their opening game against Guinea.
Onana had previously retired from international duty following a fall out with manager Rigobert Song at the Qatar World Cup, but he returned in September. United boss Erik ten Hag expressed his confidence in the team’s backup goalkeepers Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton if Onana is unavailable.
Onana joined United this summer in a £47m deal from Inter Milan, but he has had a shaky start, making a series of mistakes for the Red Devils. Despite this, the club remains hopeful that he will improve and contribute to their success.
In other news, Manchester United flop Eric Bailly has opened up about feeling “helpless and worthless” during his time at Old Trafford. The club has also received a double boost as key duo return to full training after injury problems.
For more updates on Manchester United, you can follow their official Facebook page.