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Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana is poised to complete a loan switch to Trabzonspor.
While Premier League sides are prohibited from recruiting fresh talent until the new year, the Turkish transfer window remains among a select few that stay active for a bit longer this month. Onana made the switch to Old Trafford from Inter Milan in 2023 and experienced two campaigns as the number one choice.
However, he found himself dropped by Ruben Amorim at the beginning of the season, with Altay Bayindir taking his place between the posts. And United brought Senne Lammens into its squad on Monday, just before the Premier League's transfer deadline.
This acquisition seems to have hastened Onana's exit, although the transfer is a simple loan arrangement without any purchase clause attached.
The Athletic reports that the Turkish outfit will shoulder the Cameroon international's United salary. He's also eligible for bonuses that could potentially see him earn twice his present income.
Onana is expected to finalize his transfer following Cameroon's fixture against Cape Verde.
A win would propel Cameroon to the summit of its World Cup qualifying group, with all section winners advancing to next summer's tournament and the four leading runners-up earning another opportunity through the playoffs.
Former Chelsea and Scotland stalwart Craig Burley raised questions about Onana's development since arriving at Old Trafford.
"[He's] another player who's gone to Manchester United and got worse. He cost a lot of money but he wasn't able to marshal a back four," Burley told ESPN.
"I thought Onana would be the real deal, it looked that way in Italy. I thought he might have a Peter Schmeichel-esque aura about him and boss about players but it hasn't happened. If this new, youngish lad comes in and starts flapping about all over the place, it's going to be a mess."
Lammens, 23, has expressed his desire to gain the trust of the defenders playing ahead of him. "I think if you want to be a good goalkeeper, you have to be a rock behind the defence," he shared with club media.
"They have to trust you and count on you in difficult moments. That is something I take pride in. Of course, I can improve in this because the next level is bigger, but it is one of my attributes that I am proud of and I try to improve.
"My parents are also really calm and collected, but [I also developed this mentality] from growing up, when I was in the youth and I thought about the goalkeeper I wanted to become later in life, I think one of the best attributes you can have as a goalkeeper is staying calm under pressure, in any circumstances, even if you make a mistake or something.
"You just move on and try to give your best to the team."
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