Andre Onana has reportedly accepted a proposal to stay at Trabzonspor on loan for another season. But here’s the thing: Manchester United hasn’t agreed to it yet.
Turkish outlet A Spor is reporting that Onana has given the thumbs up to remain with the Black Storm for the 2026-27 campaign. That lines up with what we’ve heard about the 30-year-old being happy in Trabzon after a rocky start turned into a trophy-winning second half of the season, capped by a Turkish Cup final win over Konyaspor.
The problem is that United’s preference is to sell him outright. Permanently. Not kick the can down the road again.
Onana arrived at Old Trafford in 2023 for £47.2 million, making him the third-most expensive goalkeeper in history. He was supposed to be the modern sweeper-keeper who could play out from the back, the guy Pep Guardiola once called “exceptional” after watching him at Inter Milan. Instead, he became known for a string of high-profile blunders that made every routine save feel like a small miracle.
When Ruben Amorim took over after Erik ten Hag was fired in October 2024, he stuck with Onana for a while. Then last summer, he flipped. Altay Bayindir got the nod. Then Bayindir struggled too. So United went out and signed Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp for £18.1 million on deadline day, and suddenly Onana was third choice. A loan to Trabzonspor followed two weeks later.
Money makes everything complicated
Onana’s wages are the main reason a permanent move hasn’t happened yet. His salary is set to climb once a Champions League bonus kicks in, which narrows the pool of potential buyers. Trabzonspor can cover a loan. A full transfer with those numbers? Tougher sell.
United isn’t desperate here. Unlike the Marcus Rashford situation on the left wing, where the club needs to clear wages to fund a replacement, there’s less urgency in goal. Lammens is locked in as the No. 1. Tom Heaton is a solid third option and a good influence on the young Belgian. The club is looking for a new No. 2 — there’s a Scottish World Cup guy they’re eyeing — but it’ll be a budget move, not the kind of splash that requires a major outgoing first.
Onana has apparently taken on a leadership role at Trabzonspor and wants to stay. Club president Ertuğrul Doğan clearly wants him back. But United’s front office may look at the broader market and decide they’d rather find a buyer than extend this loan arrangement for another year.
For now, Onana has made his choice. The question is whether United will let him have it.
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