Trabzonspor's supporters cheer their team during the UEFA Champions League Group B football match Lille vs. Trabzonspor AS on December 7, 2011 at the Lille metropole stadium in Villeneuve-d'Ascq. AFP PHOTO FRANCOIS LO PRESTI (Photo credit should read FRANCOIS LO PRESTI/AFP/Getty Images)
Manchester United has reached a club-to-club agreement with Turkish side Trabzonspor for the loan of goalkeeper Andre Onana, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The deal, which would last until the end of the season, now hinges on the 29-year-old’s approval.
The development follows weeks of speculation about Onana’s future after a disappointing stint at Old Trafford.
Despite a high-profile move from Inter Milan for €55 million in 2023, the Cameroonian international has struggled to find form, leading to a number of costly errors. This season, he has been displaced as the club’s number one, with Altay Bayındır starting the first three Premier League games.
The recent signing of young goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp has further complicated the situation, with Manchester United now having a logjam of goalkeepers. While some reports suggested Onana’s transfer was a formality, Romano has cautioned that the player has yet to make a final decision.
“Manchester United and Trabzonspor have reached an agreement for Andre Onana to join the Turkish club on loan,” Romano stated.
“What is needed now is the green light from the player. Onana has to decide his future soon, if he wants to stay in Europe and continue at Manchester United—competing his spot with Senne Lammens and Altay Bayındır—or move to Turkey and be a regular starter at Trabzonspor.”
Onana had a standout 2022-23 season with Inter, keeping more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the Champions League as the team reached the final.
However, his performance at Manchester United has been a sharp contrast, marked by defensive vulnerabilities and a lack of confidence.
With the Turkish transfer window open until September 12, Trabzonspor and Manchester United will be waiting for Onana’s choice, which will have significant implications for his career and United’s goalkeeping situation.