Manchester United confirms loan of Onana! No loan fee but Trabzonspor will cover full wages, income doubles

Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana has agreed to join Turkish Süper Lig club Trabzonspor on loan. The transfer is not yet finalized as the 29-year-old Cameroonian is still on international duty. However, he is expected to undergo a medical and sign the contract before the Turkish transfer deadline on Friday, with his debut likely against Fenerbahçe on September 14.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano stated on Sunday: "Onana has agreed to join Trabzonspor, here we go! All contract terms with the player have been settled, now we are just waiting for Trabzonspor to complete the formalities. He will travel to his new club next week."

Onana was linked with another Turkish Süper Lig club, Galatasaray, this summer, but they eventually signed Uğurkan Çakır, who previously played for Trabzonspor, leaving Trabzonspor in need of a new goalkeeper. Trabzonspor is not one of Turkey’s traditional giants like Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, or Beşiktaş, but currently sits second in the league table with 3 wins and 1 draw in 4 matches, just behind reigning champions Galatasaray. However, the team finished seventh last season and is not competing in European tournaments this season.

According to "Athletic," Onana agreed to the loan to Trabzonspor mainly for two reasons. First, he is guaranteed a starting spot, whereas staying at Manchester United could mean becoming the third-choice goalkeeper with uncertain playing time. This is far from ideal ahead of the World Cup next year.

Onana was initially confident about competing for the starting role at Manchester United, but after Senna Miangue’s last-minute signing, the club held further talks with Onana’s agent. He was informed that Amrabat intends to keep him, but playing opportunities are not assured, as shown by his absence from all three Premier League matches so far this season. This made Onana realize he must seek a club where he can play regularly.

Additionally, joining Trabzonspor means Onana’s earnings will increase. He had been unhappy about a pay cut due to Manchester United missing out on the Champions League, and during summer training, his agent requested a salary raise, which was one reason Ruben Amrabat was displeased with him.

Moving to the Turkish league, Onana’s salary will actually rise. Trabzonspor does not have to pay any loan fee to Manchester United, nor is there a purchase option. However, they agreed to cover his full current contract wages, approximately £120,000 per week this season. Onana’s income will also be boosted by substantial bonus clauses. Sources close to the player say his earnings at Trabzonspor will nearly double compared to Manchester United.

Moreover, the pressure at Trabzonspor is clearly much lower than at Manchester United. After completing his international duties with Cameroon, Onana will not return to Manchester United but will travel via Paris to Turkey to join Trabzonspor, with the transfer expected to be finalized by Thursday. According to the schedule, Cameroon will play a crucial World Cup qualifier against Cape Verde on Tuesday evening. Onana played the full match last Thursday when Cameroon defeated Eswatini 3-0, keeping a clean sheet, with Manchester United teammate Mbeumo providing an assist.

Onana, who joined Manchester United from Inter Milan for €50 million, still has three years left on his contract. This means he will return to Old Trafford next year, where both club and player will reassess the situation and decide on his future. If he performs well during the loan, Trabzonspor or other clubs might consider making the move permanent.

After letting Onana go, Manchester United hopes to continue offloading surplus players in the coming days, such as the 26-year-old Dutch left-back Tyrell Malacia. Besides the Turkish transfer window closing on September 12, the Greek league’s deadline is also on that day, the Serbian league closes on September 17, and the Saudi Professional League’s transfer deadline extends until September 23.