Man Utd have agreed to meet Inter’s asking price for Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana, according to reports in Italy.
Erik ten Hag has made the signing of a new goalkeeper one of his top priorities this summer after David De Gea’s shaky season in between the sticks.
The Red Devils have been strongly linked with Brentford shot-stopper David Raya, who reportedly agreed personal terms with Tottenham before Ange Postecoglou’s side signed Empoli star Guglielmo Vicario due to the Bees’ £40million asking price.
Onana does appear to be Ten Hag’s number-one choice, though Inter are refusing to let their No. 1 leave on the cheap.
The Cameroonian international joined the Serie A giants on a free from Ajax last summer and he quickly usurped club captain Samir Handanovic in the pecking order.
He played a huge part in Inter’s route to last season’s Champions League final and is reportedly worth at least €50m.
The most expensive keepers ever: Man Utd could break record as Spurs keeper sneaks in
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Man Utd have now agreed to pay the Italian club’s asking price.
The report says Man Utd are ‘now determined to pay the 50 million plus bonuses requested by Inter’ after ‘deciding to say goodbye’ to De Gea.
The Spanish goalkeeper will not extend his contract, it is claimed. Man Utd did offer De Gea a new deal on a significantly lower salary than his current £375,000 weekly wage, though the club reportedly withdrew the contract after the player signed it, putting another offer on the table worth even less money per week.
This shocking U-turn means De Gea is currently ‘considering his options’ and much less likely to stay. Even if you don’t him as a player, this is a very sh*t way to treat a club legend who has been at Old Trafford for 12 years.
The Gazzetta report focuses on who Inter will try to sign if Onana does move to Man Utd.
Nerazzurri owner Zhang Kangyang wants to ‘spend as little as possible’ and could turn to Hugo Lloris, who will leave Tottenham at the end of June, and Paris Saint-Germain’s Keylor Navas.
The loan signing of Bayern Munich shot-stopper Yann Sommer is also a possibility, though more expensive options are the aforementioned Raya, Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili, and Shakhtar Donetsk youngster Anatoliy Trubin.
Trubin turns 22 in August but has been very impressive for Shakhtar. He would only cost €10m, the report claims.
The Ukrainian international is also being looked at by Man Utd’s Premier League rivals Chelsea, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Blues previously made Onana a top target before turning their attention elsewhere. New head coach Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly happy to keep Kepa Arrizabalaga as his No. 1, though the addition of another goalkeeper is necessary following Edouard Mendy’s move to Al Ahly.
Romano says Trubin is “appreciated” by Chelsea, who believe the 21-year-old can “create competition” for Kepa.