According to reports, Manchester United will be without Andre Onana for four games this winter.
Onana has been one of the few bright spots in United’s first two games of the season.
The 27-year-old, who joined United from Inter this summer for a fee in the region of £45 million, made a succession of outstanding saves in United’s disappointing 1-0 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers and 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
However, United may be forced to play the rest of the season without the shot-stopper, as La Tanière reports that Onana will return to the Cameroon squad for the September internationals.
The Manchester United player left international football during last winter’s Qatar World Cup after a disagreement with manager Rigobert Song.
However, if Onana returns to the Cameroon setup, he would almost certainly be first-choice for Cameroon’s AFCON campaign, which runs from January 13 to February 11, and will miss up to four United games in the process.
If Cameroon advances further in the campaign, Onana will miss United’s games against Tottenham, Wolves, West Ham, and Aston Villa.
The first explanation for Onana’s unexpected exit from the national squad was that he had been punished for unexplained disciplinary reasons.
However, it was quickly revealed that Song was unhappy with Onana’s goalkeeping style.
Indeed, noted football journalist Fabrizio Romano said that the Cameroon manager “insisted” on a “different style of goalkeeping” that was “more traditional” – something that Onana was unwilling to compromise on.
Following the incident, Onana stepped away from international service entirely, confirming his Cameroon retirement in a lengthy social media message.
“I have put all my efforts and energy into finding solutions to a situation that a footballer often experiences, but there has been no will on the other side,” Onana said. “Some moments are difficult to assimilate.”
He also said on social media: “Players come and go, names are fleeting, but Cameroon comes before any person or player. Cameroon remains eternal and so does my love for the national team.”
Topics: Football, Andre Onana, Manchester United, Cameroon, Africa Cup Of Nations
