The transfer saga of Andre Onana which, despite being done, seems forever in motion is finally coming to an end.
Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic reports that the Cameroonian has finally signed his United contract, paving the way for him to travel to the USA.
Onana will join up with his teammates to begin the pre-season tour where United will play Arsenal, Wrexham and Real Madrid, among others.
It brings the curtains down on a deal that wasn’t expected to be a saga, but somehow turned into one due to the sheer noise around conflicting reports.
From having his “last dinner” in Milan to apartment hunting in Manchester, this transfer has looked to be a matter of when and not if.
However, the “when” part was forever debatable.
Now, with the player secured, Erik ten Hag can finally look to implement the next step of evolution of his side with a world-class ball-playing goalkeeper between the posts.
The former Ajax manager wanted Onana as his undisputed first choice, going as far as to reject alternatives offered by the club. So, he will be pleased to see him arrive in time for the pre-season tour.
For Onana, it represents a new challenge after defying expectations in Serie A in his solitary season with Inter Milan.
He supplanted long-serving Samir Handanovic from the first-choice spot and went on to establish himself as one of the world’s best in a sterling run to the finals of the UEFA Champions League.
At United, he will take over the responsibilities from David de Gea, a bonafide club legend who casts a huge shadow despite a fall in form in his final years.
However, Onana has shown previously that he is unflappable and supremely confident in his own skills. Therefore, United fans can look forward to a new and progressive era in goal with his signing.
