Trabzonspor president confirms desire to sign Man Utd's Onana permanently
Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has publicly confirmed his club's intention to sign Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana on a permanent transfer this summer. The 30-year-old Cameroonian is currently on a season-long loan with the Turkish Super Lig side and has impressed during his spell, playing 28 times and featuring in every league match since his September arrival. Dogan's comments, made to local outlet NTV Spor and reported by The Mirror, signal a significant shift in Onana's future, with United now expected to facilitate a full departure.
Onana joined Manchester United from Inter Milan in 2024 and served as the club's first-choice goalkeeper for two seasons. However, his situation changed following the appointment of Ruben Amorim as manager last summer, with Altay Bayindir initially preferred. The subsequent signing of Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp pushed Onana further down the pecking order, leading to his loan move to Turkey. Lammens has since cemented himself as United's undisputed number one, making Onana's long-term future at Old Trafford untenable.
Dogan's statement provides a clear path forward for all parties. "Onana's career is already established," the Trabzonspor president said. "We like him. I've said this before. He has a certain plan for his career. If the conditions are right, we want him to stay. The final decision will be Onana's." This public declaration of interest significantly boosts United's hopes of offloading the goalkeeper, who still has two years remaining on his contract at Old Trafford. A permanent sale would remove his salary from the wage bill and generate a transfer fee for reinvestment.
The move represents a logical next step for Onana, who has rediscovered consistent playing time in Turkey. His recent performance, saving three penalties in a Turkish Cup quarter-final shootout victory over Samsunspor, underscored his continued quality and likely reinforced Trabzonspor's desire to keep him. For the Turkish club, securing a player of Onana's experience and calibre on a full-time basis would be a major coup as they look to build on their current campaign.
For Manchester United, Onana's expected departure is part of a broader squad overhaul planned for the summer. The club is anticipated to listen to offers for several high-profile players, including Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, and Manuel Ugarte, while veteran midfielder Casemiro will leave upon the expiry of his contract. The potential sale of Onana to Trabzonspor would streamline the goalkeeping department and provide funds for incoming manager Roberto De Zerbi to reshape the squad to his liking. The final hurdle will be agreeing on a transfer fee satisfactory to both clubs and personal terms with the player, but Dogan's comments have undoubtedly accelerated the process.
