Importance Score: 35 / 100 🔵
Manchester United’s goalkeeper, Andre Onana, is reportedly ‘shocked’ by a wage reduction this season after the club failed to secure Champions League qualification. Amidst a challenging season marked by scrutiny over his performances, the club is believed to be unwilling to sell the Cameroonian international for less than £26 million during the summer transfer window due to financial accounting considerations.
Onana’s Wage Adjustment Sparks Disbelief
The 29-year-old shot-stopper experienced a decrease in his earnings this term, a consequence of Manchester United’s absence from the prestigious Champions League competition.
Sources at The Athletic suggest Onana was taken aback by this pay cut, prompting discussions with former sporting director Dan Ashworth regarding the matter.
Performance Under Scrutiny and Recent Omission
Onana’s form has significantly declined this season, reaching a low point with two critical errors that led to goals in a 2-2 draw against Lyon in the Europa League quarter-final first leg.
Subsequently, he was notably absent from the United squad for their heavy 4-1 defeat against Newcastle. Manager Ruben Amorim stated he advised the player to ‘disconnect’ amidst the pressure.
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Costly Acquisition and Amortization
Manchester United invested £43.8 million to acquire Onana from Inter Milan in the summer of 2023. This represented a substantial financial commitment for the club.
Club’s Stance on Potential Transfer
Despite Onana’s underwhelming performances, reports from The Athletic indicate he is likely to remain at the club. This is largely attributed to the club’s financial position, which necessitates a minimum transfer fee to avoid recording an accounting loss.
Upon signing a five-year contract at Old Trafford, the transfer fee was distributed across the contract’s duration, resulting in a current book value of approximately £26 million.
Currently, securing a club willing to pay such a sum for Onana appears improbable given his recent displays.
Financial Implications and Limited Options
Manchester United are conscious of the potential impact on profit and sustainability regulations if they were to sell the goalkeeper for a fee below £26 million, as it would be classified as a financial loss in their accounts.
Given the club’s sensitive financial situation, incurring such a loss is considered undesirable. Therefore, remaining at the club or a potential loan move are viewed as the most plausible scenarios.
Errors on the Field and Manager’s Perspective
Since the beginning of the 2023-24 season, Onana has committed nine errors directly resulting in goals across all competitions.
This surpasses any other Premier League goalkeeper during the same timeframe, casting doubt on his position as the first-choice goalkeeper under Amorim for the upcoming season.
Amorim’s Explanation for Dropping Onana
Explaining his decision to omit Onana from the Newcastle fixture, the manager stated: ”It is a normal thing. Sometimes, you have to push the player to play again, sometimes you have to let him disconnect a little bit.”
He added, ”He will be in training to prepare for the next one [Lyon] so I felt that it was a good time for Andre to disconnect.”
”I think he was okay [about it] because I explained and then, you don’t need to like [it], but you understand because I explain every situation.”
”It’s a normal situation. You have to manage everything, sometimes people just look at the physical aspect but the mental aspect is really, really important.”
”It’s for just one game and we give Altay an opportunity, he deserves it also and then, again, tomorrow is a new life and we will prepare for the next one.’’
Bayındır’s Opportunity and Keane’s Criticism
Altay Bayındır deputized for Onana in the 4-1 defeat at Newcastle but was also culpable for a goal due to a misplaced pass, failing to present a strong case to permanently replace Onana. Onana is expected to return for the return leg against Lyon.
Roy Keane criticised Bayındır’s risky play, stating: ‘It’s absolutely too risky. There’s players around you. At the highest level, it’s about your decision making.”
”This is big boy stuff. You’re up at Newcastle, Newcastle are flying, you do your own homework on who they’re playing and when they’re pressing you.”
”If you’re going to go long, make sure you go too far, so then at least it’s up the pitch. But if you lose it there, someone is through on goal on top of you. That’s just common sense.’’
Matic’s Comments and Onana’s Response
Onana’s recent errors followed comments from former United midfielder Nemanja Matic, now at Lyon, who labeled him ‘one of the worst goalkeepers’ in the club’s history.
Onana retorted, ”At least I’ve lifted trophies with the greatest club in the world. Some can’t say the same.”
However, Onana’s subsequent performance in the first leg against Lyon contradicted his words, and he will seek to improve if selected to start in the next match.
Speculation of Potential Replacement
Aaron Ramsdale is reportedly being considered as a possible replacement for Onana, according to reports. Currently with Southampton, he is believed to prefer a move to remain in the Premier League’s top tier.