Andre Onana could miss up to nine Manchester United games as Cameroon qualify for 2024 AFCON
Manchester United star Andre Onana could miss as many as nine games after Cameroon secured qualification for the 2024 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament is set to begin on January 13 and ends on February 11, meaning the shotstopper could miss considerable close to four weeks of club action for the Red Devils.
Onana has made a return to the national squad during this international break after a controversial retirement last year. He left the team midway through the 2022 World Cup following a disagreement with head coach Rigobert Song.
He has now reversed his retirement, featuring in Cameroon's 3-0 win over Burundi that secured their entry into AFCON.
Manchester United are set to play four Premier League fixtures during that period, including Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United at home and Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa away.
He could also be out of action for the side's FA Cup third-round clash that is set to happen on the weekend of January 6-7. Should they win that game, he could also miss the fourth-round clash on January 27-28.
If Manchester United make it all the way to the Carabao Cup semi-final stage, Onana will be unable to play in the two-legged tie scheduled on January 8 and January 22.
Although the dates are yet to be confirmed, the 27-year-old could also be out of action for United's Round of 16 clash in the Champions League, should they qualify from their group.
Alongside Onana, Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat who is on loan from Fiorentina could also miss an extended period of time.
Turkish youngster Altay Bayindir, who joined from Fenerbahce on deadline day, is expected to be first in line to grab Onana's minutes in his absence.
Pundit claims Manchester United were wrong to replace de Gea with Onana
Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker admitted that the Red Devils were wrong to let David de Gea go for Andre Onana. The full-back, who now serves as a pundit, told Bettors (via The Mirror) that the Spaniard is the better goalkeeper among the two.
He said:
“I can’t come out and say that I dislike Andre Onana because I don´t. If we could go back in time, I would still have stuck with David De Gea. I still think he is a better goalkeeper.”
Parker added:
“But that doesn´t make Onana a terrible goalkeeper. He is a good goalkeeper and he has been a part of improving the build-up play and I think he can be a good asset on the counterattacks as well.”
De Gea left Manchester United this summer after the two parties could not reach an agreement on an expiring contract. They initially presented an offer worth £375,000 but ended up withdrawing it, according to reports.
Onana, who previously played under manager Erik ten Hag at Ajax, joined from Inter Milan for €55 million. The Cameroon international was hailed as a better fit for the team owing to his superior ability on the ball.