Manchester United could be forced to dip into the transfer market to sign a goalkeeper after Andre Onana suffered a hamstring injury.
The Cameroon international had been set to start the season as the Red Devils’ No 1 but has reportedly picked up the issue that could rule him out of the start of the season.
Though Onana has had a mixed time of it at United, the news comes as a blow to the Red Devils, who had been focused on trying to improve their attacking ranks this summer.
Matheus Cunha had already joined from Wolves for £62.5million, and Bryan Mbeumo has agreed personal terms, with Brenford pushing for £65million. They now need to turn their attentions elsewhere, however.
Onana has been ruled out of United’s pre-season tour, which will see them visit Sweden and the United States.
Ruben Amorim is now said to be weighing up whether to go into the market to buy a replacement before United’s first game of the Premier League season against Arsenal on August 17.
Onana is thought to have picked up the problem after United players returned to Carrington this week for pre-season. He will reportedly miss six to eight weeks of action.
That would put his chances of making the start of the campaign in serious doubt, with Altay Bayindir the club’s No 2 and Tom Heaton, 39, and Radek Vítek, 21, also in reserve.
Onana has impressed with the ball at his feet since his £47.1million move from Ajax in summer 2023, but his time at Old Trafford has been littered with shot-stopping errors.
Earlier this summer, United had been linked with a move for Aston Villa shot stopper Emiliano Martinez, but talks appear to have gone quiet on that front.
The Argentine was emotional at the end of Villa’s final home game of last season, against Tottenham on May 16, and while that does not guarantee his departure, it is thought Martinez would consider a new challenge.
It’s unlikely, though, that the World Cup winner would be happy to play back-up and would seriously push Onana for the No 1 jersey should be join permanently.
United will kick-off their pre-season games against Leeds in Sweden next weekend before matched against West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton in the States.
They will also take on Fiorentina at Old Trafford on August 9 before the start of their new season.
