Andre Onana to Manchester United is not a done deal yet. At least not officially, but it’s getting very close. This transfer narrative is very unique in that every single step of it, throughout the entire process, has been intensely over-covered. It’s just unreal how much all the minutia here has been extensively detailed, by media outlets worldwide, and then amplified on social media.
So where are we now? According to the Saturday print edition of the Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, with a h/t to FCInterNews, the 27-year-old shot-stopper is supposed to travel to Manchester to finalize the deal.
? JUST IN: André Onana will travel to Manchester on Sunday or Monday to conclude his move to #mufc. [@Gazzetta_it via @Sport_Witness] pic.twitter.com/YkIye3GS67
— UtdXclusive (@UtdXclusive) July 15, 2023
That should happen either Sunday or Monday, where the Cameroon international is expected to undergo his medical and then sign the final paperwork.
The two clubs are reportedly on the cusp of reaching an agreement regarding the transfer fee, with Gazzetta claiming United’s offer of €52 million plus €5 million in add-ons will be accepted.
Not sure of the exact conversion here, given the up to the second exchange rate between Euros and the British pound, but other outlets are reporting a fee of about £43m, plus £4m in add-ons.
Bringing the total to about £47m. It would have been nice if Great Britain would have stayed in the EU! And worked towards having the same currency as the rest of Europe, to make things less confusing for all of us, but hey, the ship has sailed on that long ago.
You might have noticed that transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the gold standard of reporting on any deals involving a club in his native Italy, has yet to call it a done deal.
No serious issues on André Onana deal — just matter of time to get final details sorted then paperwork time ???
Manchester United and Inter spoke on Friday and almost agreed also add-ons structure of €50m plus €5m bonuses deal.
it’s just about payment terms to be approved. pic.twitter.com/jTrFbjHjxs
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 14, 2023
We’re still waiting for a “Here We Go” on Andre Onana. Romano quotes a slightly different monetary figure: €50m + €5m + bonuses, so a full package of €55m. So I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
United have a new No. 1, for the first time in 12 years. (side note: it will be interesting to see where David de Gea goes from here, now that he’s a free agent)
This Andre Onana transfer saga is unlike any that I have ever seen, and I’ve been covering the summer transfer window, rather intensely, for well over a decade. The Arturo Vidal to Man United move that ended up not happening comes close to this level of tedium, but I don’t know.
This is probably worse!
Can’t wait until it’s FINALLY announced and confirmed as a done deal!
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.