Andre Onana has been ruled out of Manchester United’s entire pre-season programme after the Cameroon goalkeeper suffered a hamstring tear on the second day of training.
Onana will be sidelined for between four and six weeks, potentially keeping him out of United’s opening Premier League fixtures against Arsenal and Fulham as well.
The 29-year-old is still expected to go on the club’s pre-season tour and have treatment in the US, but he will miss the Premier League Summer Series games there against West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton, as well as the opening friendly against Leeds in Stockholm on Saturday and the final game at home to Fiorentina.
Onana suffered the first significant injury of his career on Tuesday after returning to training at Carrington at the start of the week, and scans on Wednesday revealed a tear in his left hamstring.
Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton will step in for the former Inter Milan player, but it leaves United in a dilemma over whether to sign another keeper before the transfer window closes.
Onana’s future has been in some doubt after United were linked with Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez and John Victor of Botafogo this summer.
But is has appeared increasingly likely that he will stay at Old Trafford after Monaco refused to meet United’s £30million valuation when they inquired about Onana last month.
United 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 Brentford pushing for £65million. They now need to turn their attentions elsewhere, however.
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 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.
