Manchester United have been handed fresh optimism over a potential transfer for Gianluigi Donnarumma after Inter Milan emerged as suitors for Andre Onana.
The Serie A giants are reportedly keen on bringing the goalkeeper back to the San Siro, just two years after offloading him to United. Onana's time at Old Trafford has been a rollercoaster since his move from Inter following their Champions League final appearance in 2023.
The Cameroonian shot-stopper made a series of costly blunders last term, sparking speculation that the Red Devils could seek an upgrade between the sticks.
The keeper had been sidelined from pre-season fixtures through injury but despite being fit for the start of the season, Ruben Amorim opted for alternatives against Arsenal on Sunday.
"No (he is not injured), he's recovered but the other guys did so well during pre-season, so I need to balance that," Amorim explained after selecting Altay Bayindir and naming Tom Heaton amongst the substitutes.
United have been courting several goalkeepers as potential successors. The strongest speculation surrounds Gianluigi Donnarumma, whilst renewed links to Aston Villa's Emi Martinez have also surfaced. Belgian prospect Senne Lammens remains on both United and Inter's radar.
However, according to The Sun, Inter are shifting focus towards Onana amid suggestions he would embrace a San Siro homecoming. Inter's potential bid for Onana could pave the way for Manchester United to go for Donnarumma, despite interest from local rivals Manchester City.
The Italian goalkeeper, who clinched the Champions League title with Paris Saint-Germain last season, is believed to be available for a mere £26million following PSG's summer acquisition of Lucas Chevalier.
Former United striker Wayne Rooney would welcome such a move. "Donnarumma, I think he's 26, he's one of the best goalkeepers in the world, it would be crazy if Man United don't go for him," the ex-striker expressed on his podcast.
"I don't think he's a risk. I saw a stat the other day - the errors leading direct to goals. His was zero".
Rooney isn't alone in his call for a goalkeeping upgrade at United. "It's a glaring issue at United that cannot be ignored and that is that they do need to find a goalkeeper. They have to, I'm absolutely unequivocal on that," former captain Gary Neville stated on The Gary Neville Podcast.
"In my 20 years at Man United we had two periods of seven or eight years with [Peter] Schmeichel and [Edwin] Van der Sar and in between we had seven or eight goalkeepers in a six, seven, eight-year period and it's really unsettling when you don't have a dominant No.1 who is 6ft 2in, dominant in the air and owns his six-yard box and comes and punches everything and makes a lot of saves one-on-one and saves you points when your defenders make mistakes."