Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana is set to join Turkish side Trabzonspor on loan.
The deal is not yet finalised, but sources close to the player expect it to be completed in time for him to debut against Fenerbahce on Sunday, 14 September. With Turkey’s transfer window open until Friday, there is still room to finalise the move, even as Onana remains on international duty with Cameroon.
The 29 year old had also been linked with Galatasaray, but they opted instead to sign Ugurcan Cakir from Trabzonspor on 2 September in a deal worth up to €36m (£31.2m). That departure prompted Trabzonspor to seek a replacement, with club insiders confident Onana can make a big impact.
United’s goalkeeping situation has been under review since the club signed Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp on deadline day. Although Old Trafford officials initially insisted they were comfortable carrying four senior goalkeepers, head coach Ruben Amorim has repeatedly voiced a preference for a smaller squad given the absence of European football. Tom Heaton and Altay Bayindir remain in the mix alongside Onana.
Onana ended last season as United’s first choice goalkeeper, starting the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham. However, a hamstring injury in pre-season ruled him out of all warm-up matches, and he lost his place to Bayindir for the opening three Premier League games.
He returned in last month’s shock EFL Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby, but a mistake for the Mariners’ second goal reignited scrutiny of his form. Signed from Inter Milan in 2023 for £47.2m under Erik ten Hag, Onana has struggled to settle, with a series of high-profile errors leading to his demotion during the Premier League defeat at Newcastle in April. He was later recalled for the dramatic 5-4 Europa League quarter-final win over Lyon.
Onana’s move to Trabzonspor now appears to be the latest chapter in a turbulent Old Trafford spell.
