André Onana is set to complete a second successive loan to Trabzonspor, effectively ending his Manchester United career. According to BBC Sport, the deal is 90% done with no option to buy, marking a permanent exit for the 30-year-old goalkeeper. Signed by Erik ten Hag from Inter in summer 2023 for £47.2m, Onana has been completely displaced at Old Trafford under Michael Carrick, with Senne Lammens now established as first choice.
The displacement was swift. Onana lost his place when Ruben Amorim took over last season, and since Michael Carrick arrived in December, there has been no way back. "There has been no way back for the Cameroon international," according to independent assessment of his situation. With two years remaining on his contract, the Turkish loan offers both sides a clean exit: Onana gets playing time at a club competing for titles, United avoids the cost of a £47.2m goalkeeper unused on the bench.
Trabzonspor won the Turkish Cup last season, their first major trophy since 2020. Recent appearances suggest they value Onana's experience — he was played in five consecutive matches in May, logging 450 minutes with a 6.64 average rating across those outings.
Ten Hag's goalkeeping investment fails to deliver
The Inter transfer was meant to solve Manchester United's position. Ten Hag wanted a ball-playing goalkeeper comfortable distributing from the back and controlling possession through the thirds. Onana's form at Inter suggested he fitted the profile. At Old Trafford, however, consistency proved elusive. Injuries disrupted his early weeks, and when fit, his performances never convinced coaching staff or supporters that he was the long-term answer.
Carrick accelerated the shift by promoting Lammens. United's form improved noticeably — three wins in the final five Premier League matches, including victories over Brighton (3–0) and Nottingham Forest (3–2) — indicating that the new goalkeeper pairing gave the team the defensive platform it needed.
Onana's last appearance in a Manchester United shirt came in the Carabao Cup, a penalty shootout defeat to League Two Grimsby in August 2024. That was nine months ago. This loan, structured with no purchase option, represents a final admission that the £47.2m investment from the Ten Hag era did not pay off. Onana's time at Old Trafford has ended.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →