Manchester United have informed André Onana that he will not be reintegrated into the first-team squad for the 2026/27 season following the conclusion of his loan spell at Trabzonspor. According to reports from FootballTransfers, the club is now actively seeking a permanent buyer for the 30-year-old goalkeeper, who moved to the Turkish Süper Lig in September 2025. While United prefer a total sale, the player’s reported £120,000-a-week wages remain a primary obstacle for potential suitors, including Trabzonspor, who have expressed interest in retaining his services either through another loan or a discounted permanent deal.
Senne Lammens secures United's number one spot
The decision to move Onana on follows the successful transition to Senne Lammens, 23, as the club's primary goalkeeper. Signed from Royal Antwerp for £18.1m in September 2025, Lammens has established himself as the reliable presence United sought following Onana’s erratic final months at Old Trafford. Manchester United Director of Football Jason Wilcox previously described Lammens as an "excellent young goalkeeper with great potential" at the time of his arrival. With United having secured Champions League qualification for next season, the squad is transitioning under a more rigid tactical profile that favors Lammens' shot-stopping over Onana’s more expansive, risk-prone style. Furthermore, the departure of backup Altay Bayindir, who as first reported by ESPN has an agreement in principle with Besiktas, would normally leave a vacancy, but the club appears set on recruiting a new deputy rather than recalling Onana.
Financial and squad dynamics behind the exit
The financial realities of the INEOS-led recruitment strategy have made Onana’s position untenable. Keeping a high-earner on the bench is considered non-viable, particularly as United must navigate strict Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) while funding a broader squad overhaul. Reports via the Daily Mail suggest the hierarchy believes Onana’s extrovert personality and salary would create an unhelpful dynamic if he were relegated to a substitute role behind Lammens. This mirrors the club’s recent history of high-profile wage exits, such as the departure of David de Gea in 2023. Given that some squad members are due automatic wage increases following Champions League qualification, clearing Onana's six-figure weekly salary from the books has become a priority to maintain fiscal flexibility in the summer market.
The focus now shifts to negotiations with Trabzonspor and other European clubs to determine if United will accept a significant loss on the £47.2m fee they paid Inter Milan in 2023.