Man Utd rival Chelsea for €50m transfer target

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 1 May 2023 11:19 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United are very interested in a deal for Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana, who has also attracted serious attention from Chelsea ahead of the summer transfer window, Tuttosport reports.

Both United and Chelsea find themselves on the lookout for a new No.1 ahead of the close season, with David de Gea having failed to impress at Old Trafford, while neither Kepa Arrizabalaga nor Edouard Mendy has held down the gloves at Stamford Bridge.

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Onana, meanwhile, has become a viable target for both thanks to his strong performances in his debut season with Inter, who he joined on a free transfer last summer.

There is particular uncertainty over Man Utd’s goalkeeper position. David de Gea is said to want to stay at the club but will have to take a major pay cut in order to do so, while Dean Henderson, on loan at Nottingham Forest, does not have the confidence of manager Erik ten Hag.

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Onana to Man Utd transfer is unlikely

Man Utd have a string of important positions that need to be strengthened in the summer transfer window, with a No.9, a central midfielder, a centre-back and a right-back all areas that are thought to be priorities for Ten Hag.

Onana, who is 27 years old, is valued at more than €50 million by Inter, which is an off-putting price for the Red Devils given their resources need to be spread over a number of new signings.

If the takeover process at Old Trafford is completed quickly, though, it may be possible for such a deal to be concluded. This appears to be a scant prospect ahead of the transfer window.

Similarly, Chelsea have been unwilling to stump up the €50m that Inter want for Onana, who is a player with an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €16.5m. The Blues have tried to fashion a swap deal, and this is a route that United could explore, too, and indeed if they really want the Cameroon international, this might be their most realistic prospect.