Ruben Amorim reportedly sees Andre Onana’s exit as key to his attempts to rebuild a Man United squad which has drastically underachieved in recent seasons.
After a dismal campaign which saw the Red Devils slump to a 15th-placed Premier League finish and suffer a hugely disappointing Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, the United boss has cleared decks this summer.
Marcus Rashford was the first to depart the club, joining Barcelona, before Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and finally Andre Onana followed suit. Tyrell Malacia is the only member of the so-called ‘bomb squad’ yet to seal a transfer away from the north-west.
Onana’s imminent loan move to Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor comes after the Cameroonian endured a torrid two years in English football.
He’s made a plethora of mistakes under both Erik ten Hag and Amorim, with arguably his worst performance in a United shirt coming in what now looks to be his last game for the club in the disaster at Grimsby Town last month.
It’s thought tensions had been rising between Onana and Amorim as early as the beginning of pre-season when the ‘keeper returned demanding a new contract, which was far from forthcoming.
Onana later reported a hamstring injury which kept him out of pre-season and left him down the pecking order behind United’s Turkish shot-stopper Altay Bayindir.
The performance at Grimsby ultimately came as something of a nail in the metaphorical coffin of Onana’s United career, leaving the 29-year-old despondent in his final weeks at the club.
As his and Amorim’s relationship broke down, a source told The Sun: ‘It felt like Andre was just there to show up but wasn’t there or showing any team mentality’.
His exit late in the window has come as a positive to Amorim, according to the publication, who boasts Senne Lammens in his ranks ahead of this weekend’s Manchester derby.
Following weeks of negotiations with Royal Antwerp, the 23-year-old Belgian signed on the dotted line on Deadline Day despite United chiefs making a late bid to sign to Emi Martinez from Aston Villa.
Ruben Amorim and United fans alike will no-doubt be hoping Lammens hits the ground running amid Bayindir’s struggles so far this season.
The Turkish international has looked far from assured since being promoted to No 1 and was at fault for goals against both Arsenal and Burnley.
It remains to be seen whether Amorim will throw Lammens into the deep end for the Manchester derby on Sunday or whether he’ll stick with Bayindir.
Pep Guardiola meanwhile has a new goalkeeper of his own after Gianluigi Donnarumma signed for the Cityzens in a £26million deal earlier this month.
City do however go into the fixture without a number of important players including Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden.
Ruben Amorim is yet to clarify whether Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount, both of whom went off injured in the 3-2 win against Burnley, have recovered from their knocks in time for the trip to the Etihad.
The United boss holds his pre-match press conference on Friday.
