NEW DELHI: Manchester United completed the signing of the Cameroonian goalkeeper on Thursday André Onana from Inter Milan in a substantial deal worth up to £47m ($57m).
Onana, 27, has signed a five-year deal with the Premier League club and will take over as the number one goalkeeper at Old Trafford, succeeding David de Gea.
In this transfer, Manchester United will make an initial payment of £44m for Onana, with an additional £3.5m contingent on performance-related add-ons. This significant investment underlines the club’s commitment to strengthening its squad and strengthening its goalkeeping department.
“Joining Manchester United is an incredible honor and I have worked hard all my life to get to this moment, overcoming many obstacles along the way,” Onana said in a United statement.
“Going to Old Trafford to defend our goal and contribute to the team will be another amazing experience. It’s the start of a new journey for me, with new teammates and new ambitions to fight for.”
De Gea left the Red Devils earlier this month after 12 years at United.
The Spaniard struggled with Erik ten Hag’s preference to play from the back and Onana seems like a much more natural fit for the Dutch coach’s philosophy.
Onana joined Barcelona aged 14 after being scouted at Samuel Eto’o’s academy in his native country.
After failing to make the Camp Nou first team, Onana joined Ajax in 2015 and won three Eredivisie titles under Ten Hag in the Netherlands.
However, his career was temporarily rocked in 2021 by a doping ban for taking a banned diuretic.
Onana claimed he accidentally took medication prescribed to his wife and had a one-year ban reduced to nine months on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
He joined Inter on a free transfer just over 12 months ago when his contract at Ajax expired.
Onana has made just 24 Serie A appearances as he shared goalkeeping duties with Samir Handanovic in the Inter captain’s final year at the club.
But he was still present in the Champions League, keeping eight clean sheets in 13 games as Inter reached the final for the first time in 13 years.
Onana played for Cameroon in their first game at last year’s World Cup but was dropped for a disciplinary issue the rest of the tournament in Qatar and later announced his international retirement.
It is United’s second signing at the end of the season following the arrival of England midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea earlier in July for an initial fee of £55m.
Onana could make his first appearance for United in their friendly against Arsenal on Saturday in New Jersey.
Ten Hag is also keen to sign a striker ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign.
The United boss, who ended his club’s six-year drought by winning the League Cup last season, has been linked with a bid for Danish Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund.
(With contributions from AFP)
Onana, 27, has signed a five-year deal with the Premier League club and will take over as the number one goalkeeper at Old Trafford, succeeding David de Gea.
In this transfer, Manchester United will make an initial payment of £44m for Onana, with an additional £3.5m contingent on performance-related add-ons. This significant investment underlines the club’s commitment to strengthening its squad and strengthening its goalkeeping department.
“Joining Manchester United is an incredible honor and I have worked hard all my life to get to this moment, overcoming many obstacles along the way,” Onana said in a United statement.
“Going to Old Trafford to defend our goal and contribute to the team will be another amazing experience. It’s the start of a new journey for me, with new teammates and new ambitions to fight for.”
De Gea left the Red Devils earlier this month after 12 years at United.
The Spaniard struggled with Erik ten Hag’s preference to play from the back and Onana seems like a much more natural fit for the Dutch coach’s philosophy.
Onana joined Barcelona aged 14 after being scouted at Samuel Eto’o’s academy in his native country.
After failing to make the Camp Nou first team, Onana joined Ajax in 2015 and won three Eredivisie titles under Ten Hag in the Netherlands.
However, his career was temporarily rocked in 2021 by a doping ban for taking a banned diuretic.
Onana claimed he accidentally took medication prescribed to his wife and had a one-year ban reduced to nine months on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
He joined Inter on a free transfer just over 12 months ago when his contract at Ajax expired.
Onana has made just 24 Serie A appearances as he shared goalkeeping duties with Samir Handanovic in the Inter captain’s final year at the club.
But he was still present in the Champions League, keeping eight clean sheets in 13 games as Inter reached the final for the first time in 13 years.
Onana played for Cameroon in their first game at last year’s World Cup but was dropped for a disciplinary issue the rest of the tournament in Qatar and later announced his international retirement.
It is United’s second signing at the end of the season following the arrival of England midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea earlier in July for an initial fee of £55m.
Onana could make his first appearance for United in their friendly against Arsenal on Saturday in New Jersey.
Ten Hag is also keen to sign a striker ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign.
The United boss, who ended his club’s six-year drought by winning the League Cup last season, has been linked with a bid for Danish Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund.
(With contributions from AFP)
