Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana went on loan last season to Trabzonspor, and it appears that he will be back there again for the 2026-27 season. With last year’s loan deal having expired, he has now technically returned to his parent club. However, he is not a part of the plan at Old Trafford, as his replacement, Senne Lammens, has locked it down in between the sticks. The current United No. 1 literally won the Premier League Transfer of the Season award.
So Onana needs to play elsewhere this season, and according to multiple reports, it will be Trabzonspor; again.
The Turkish Super Lig club are bringing him back on another loan deal; not a permanent purchase. According to the BBC: “The deal is not yet agreed yet but sources say it is 90% done. There will be no option to buy within the agreement.”
Onana is one of many big, expensive flops acquired under then manager Erik ten Hag. The Cameroonian was coming off a special season with Inter Milan who finished runner-up in the UCL. Onana signed with United for an initial £43.8m in 2023, but his form at Old Trafford was pretty dreadful.
It appears that Onana is following the paths of Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, going out on loan repeatedly, instead of being sold outright.
These types of arrangements make it easier for the player to retain more of his salary. It’s also much easier for the selling/loaning out club to find a suitor, because often times, the buying/loan recipient club won’t have to cover as much of the wages.
If they made a permanent buy, then obviously they would be on the hook for all of the salary.
Elsewhere United are reportedly interested in Mexico midfielder Gilberto Mora, 17, according to TEAMtalk.
The Club Tijuana wonderkid is also drawing interest from Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City, with a reported preference for Los Blancos. The stellar attacking midfielder/forward earned his first World Cup starting assignment on Wednesday in El Tri’s 3-0 rout over Czechia.
Mexico, the first nation to host or co-host three times, are through to the round of 32, still waiting to learn who their opponent will be. Their deepest runs in the tournament have come whenever they have hosted, as they reached the quarterfinals in both 1970 and 1986.
So if Mora does switch teams this summer it may not be for awhile. United have recently been linked to Mexican internationals in recent summer transfer windows, like Hirving “Chucky” Lozano and Edson Alvarez, but obviously nothing came of it.
Although it’s worth noting that one of the most iconic players in Mexico history, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, achieved much of his glory, at the club level, at United.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor 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 currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.