Report: Man Utd consider Onana future with four goalkeepers on shortlist | OneFootball

Man Utd’s Goalkeeping Gamble: Onana on Trial as Summer Transfer Window Looms

Trial by Fire for Onana

Manchester United’s chaotic season has taken yet another twist, with Andre Onana now placed under scrutiny by new head coach Ruben Amorim. Once heralded as a modern, ball-playing goalkeeper fit for Erik ten Hag’s system, Onana’s form has been erratic, his confidence rattled, and his place as United’s number one no longer secure.

The Cameroonian’s recent exclusion from the squad that capitulated against Newcastle – a defeat that cemented United’s worst-ever Premier League points tally – only heightened speculation. As iNews reported, “Ruben Amorim has placed Andre Onana and several other squad members on trial in the final few games of the club’s disastrous season – putting the goalkeeper’s long-term Manchester United future in further doubt.”

Errors, Off-Pitch Chaos and a Club in Freefall

It has been a turbulent campaign for Onana. His error-strewn performance in the Europa League first-leg defeat to Lyon, including a last-minute fumble punished by Rayan Cherki, felt emblematic of his struggles.

“The 29-year-old has made eight errors leading to goals since the start of last season, more than any other Premier League goalkeeper in that time.”

Beyond the pitch, tragedy and turbulence have followed him home. His wife, Melanie Kamayou, was subjected to a violent street robbery in Alderley Edge, requiring 24-hour protection for the family. Amorim’s decision to leave Onana out of the Newcastle game was framed as an opportunity to regroup mentally. According to iNews, “Amorim left Onana at home at the weekend so the United stopper could get his head together ahead of his side’s do-or-die Europa League second leg on Thursday.”

This humanity has not gone unnoticed, with sources noting that Onana’s teammates have “rallied around him” during this testing period. But sentiment may not be enough to secure his place at Old Trafford.

Transfer Targets in Waiting

United are already preparing for life after Onana, or at least a credible alternative. “United have prioritised signing a goalkeeper in the summer transfer window,” iNews reports, adding that “Turkey international Altay Bayindir is likely to leave in order to secure first-team football.”

Whether a new arrival would displace Onana outright will depend on the Cameroonian’s performances in the season’s dying embers. But the list of potential successors is telling: “Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, Porto stopper Diogo Costa, Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen and AC Milan’s French international Mike Maignan have all been linked with a move to Old Trafford.”

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Each of those names suggests a clear direction – youth, composure, and technical skill between the posts. The days of erratic brilliance may be numbered.

Amorim’s Ruthless Rebuild

What Amorim inherited at Manchester United was not just a squad in decline, but a culture lacking identity. Since his appointment, United’s form has been dreadful, the mood febrile, and the stakes for individual players immense. Few, if any, senior figures appear safe, and Amorim is clearly unafraid to reshape the core of the team.

“Very few senior players are safe,” iNews confirms, underlining the severity of the planned overhaul. Onana is not the only one auditioning for his future – but as a goalkeeper, his margin for error is thinner than most.

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From a United fan’s perspective, it’s hard not to feel conflicted. Onana has been a figure of chaos this season, but he’s also been hung out to dry by a dysfunctional system and a revolving door of philosophies.

His high-profile blunders are impossible to ignore, yet he’s also a symbol of what’s gone wrong behind the scenes – poor recruitment, unclear tactical identity, and the mental toll of relentless scrutiny. Many supporters hoped Amorim would bring clarity, and there’s some reassurance in seeing him take decisive action.

Still, the talk of targets like Diogo Costa or Mike Maignan feels ambitious – even utopian – for a club with no Champions League football and limited financial leverage this summer. Bart Verbruggen might be the most realistic of the names mentioned, and fans would welcome a younger keeper with composure and Premier League experience.

Let’s be honest – no keeper is thriving behind this United defence. Fix the shape, the tempo, the spine of the team, and maybe Onana looks like the Ajax version again. But patience has worn thin, and Amorim clearly isn’t here for nostalgia or sentiment. The next few weeks will define not only Onana’s United future, but the credibility of Amorim’s revolution.