2023 AFCON Diaries: Andre Onana to join up with Cameroon after Manchester United’s game against Tottenham
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana will travel to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) straight after their meeting with Tottenham Hotspur on January 14, thanks to an amicable agreement being reached between all parties.
The 27-year-old Cameroon international will now be able to play in United’s FA Cup third-round tie against Wigan Athletic on Monday, before they welcome Spurs to Old Trafford six days later.
Onana is then scheduled to immediately depart for the tournament in Ivory Coast and be available to represent his country, who face Guinea in their opening match on January 15.
United signed Onana from Inter Milan last July in the knowledge that he had retired from national team duty and would not be going to AFCON, which was communicated to them clearly.
He was persuaded by the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) and other factors to return, a decision United fully respect.
They are sympathetic to his pride, patriotism and such changeable situations, acknowledging the conflict between his loyalty to club and country.
Equally, FECAFOOT accepts that United did not expect to lose Onana at a key point in the season and is reluctant for his involvement to come at the expense of continuing to perform at the top level of domestic competition in England.
Given its role in his decision, FECAFOOT wanted to work with United to strike a compromise that maximises Onana’s game time for both teams.
If Cameroon do not manage to qualify from their AFCON group — which also contains Senegal and Gambia — he might not miss any United fixtures.
Their final pool match is against Gambia on January 23, four days before United’s potential FA Cup fourth-round tie, should they beat Wigan.
If Cameroon do advance and depending on how far, United’s next Premier League game takes them to Wolverhampton Wanderers on February 1. Erik ten Hag’s men host West Ham United on February 4 and are away to Aston Villa on February 11 — the same day as the AFCON final.
Ten Hag has said he has total confidence in back-up goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, a summer recruit from Fenerbahce and yet to make an appearance so far. United’s alternative option is Tom Heaton.
Onana was included in Cameroon’s 27-strong squad for the AFCON last Thursday despite ending his international career in 2022 because of a disagreement with FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o at that year’s World Cup in Qatar.
