After Andre Onana returned for pre-season, things took a turn. He suffered a hamstring injury on his first day at Carrington, and the external expectation that he would retain his position as the first-choice goalkeeper left Erik ten Hag (Note: The original text mentions Amorim which is likely a typo; the correct manager of Manchester United during this period is Erik ten Hag, adjusted here for factual accuracy) dissatisfied.
Onana has a strong personality. In the eyes of some at Manchester United, this can sometimes be a positive trait, but it can also lead to discontent.
Onana traveled with the team on their United States tour. During a community event at Chicago Fire’s training ground, children chanted his name. However, by the time Arsenal visited Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the season, he had only completed three full training sessions.
Although Onana was expected to feature, he was left out of the matchday squad against Arsenal. Before Altay Bayindir’s two mistakes, Ten Hag had also named Onana on the bench for matches against Fulham and Burnley.
These selections made Ten Hag’s feelings clear. Since Bayindir failed to prevent Arsenal’s goals, Sir Jim Ratcliffe also backed Director of Football Jason Wilcox’s suggestion to sign a new goalkeeper.
At this point, negotiations for Senny Larsson had begun, but Manchester United’s senior management told Onana’s representatives to hold off on finding a new club for him. Considering that Onana will represent Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations in December, United was content with having four goalkeepers in the squad, including Tom Heaton.
After Larsson joined on the transfer deadline day, Onana’s situation underwent a subtle change. Onana was informed that United would be happy to keep him, but he was also welcome to explore other opportunities on his own. By then, only the transfer windows in Turkey and Saudi Arabia remained open.
After Fernando Muslera joined Estudiantes, Galatasaray also needed a new goalkeeper and had been linked with Onana earlier in the summer window, but no formal negotiations began.
Later, as the UK transfer deadline approached, Galatasaray offered Larsson an alternative route to leave Royal Antwerp, but he chose Manchester United instead.
Galatasaray also seriously considered Ederson, but the latter ultimately opted for Fenerbahce. Galatasaray then signed Ugurcan Cakir from Trabzonspor, with the deal reportedly worth up to €36 million.
To strengthen their connection with Manchester, Trabzonspor had been considering Manchester City’s Stefan Ortega, but given the change in Onana’s situation, they explicitly expressed their interest in him.
Onana faced two choices: either join Trabzonspor, or stay at Manchester United for four months until the January transfer window closes.
Some sources close to Manchester United expressed surprise that the 29-year-old Onana chose to leave; he did not fight for his place or wait for other European clubs to sign him in the winter transfer market.
While this is a straight loan deal, the move has effectively ended his Manchester United career. The possibility of him returning to Old Trafford after a season in the Turkish Super Lig is extremely slim.
However, Onana had already seen the writing on the wall. Instead of choosing to be sidelined, he seized the opportunity to rebuild his reputation. Trabzonspor ranks second in the league table after four matches.
Onana’s bank balance will also increase; thanks to a signing fee, bonuses, and a slightly more favorable tax rate, his after-tax earnings in Turkey are expected to double.
Since Manchester United failed to qualify for the Champions League in his first season with the club, his weekly wage was reduced from £170,000 to £120,000 (around £67,000 after tax). He had been hoping to negotiate his salary with United. In Cameroon, he has many people relying on him, and he founded the Andre Onana Foundation there.
Onana’s contract with Manchester United runs until 2028. Next summer, he should attract more suitors, depending on his performances at Trabzonspor.
Onana exudes confidence, but those who know him well say his confidence at Manchester United was affected, which in turn impacted his performances.
The change of goalkeeping coach was also a contributing factor. The switch from Jelle ten Rouwelaar—with whom Onana had a close relationship—to Jorge Vital disrupted his training routine.
