It appears that Mason Mount will become the first signing of the summer for Manchester United. Who will be next after the Chelsea, England midfielder? Maybe it will be Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana, who is supposedly high on the wish list of United manager Erik ten Hag.
And according to a reporter for The Guardian, Ten Hag is eager to get this deal over the line ASAP.
BREAKING ?:
Erik ten Hag is really anxious to get the André Onana deal over the line as quickly as possible. [@andybrassell] pic.twitter.com/mHmHtWUMBV
— UtdXclusive (@UtdXclusive) June 29, 2023
Onana has been linked to Old Trafford in the past couple weeks, but his potential move hinges on what happens with David de Gea. And as De Gea himself seemingly indicated yesterday, nothing is settled in regards to his situation.
So with that, we have a transfer window domino theory in action. If/when De Gea walks as a free agent (his contract expires in a little over a day now), United will need a new No. 1.
Although is worth noting that De Gea could still sign an extension with the club after contract expiry. He may need to take a pay-cut and accept open competition for his job in order to do so however.
When it comes to the new starter in between the sticks, Onana could easily fit the bill.
The Cameroonian goalkeeper is valued at between £40 million ($50.62m) and £50m by Inter.
Ten Hag should not have any issues getting his bosses at Old Trafford to pay that sum. After all, Ten Hag knows Onana well from when the two were together at Ajax.
So he comes with “references,” because as everyone knows, getting a job is all about who you know. It is thought that once this situation is settled, Dean Henderson will finally be granted his wish to leave permanently, and join Nottingham Forest on a permanent basis.
United have also been linked to other goalkeepers this summer transfer window, including David Raya and Diogo Costa.
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.