Man Utd hopeful of further delaying Andre Onana’s AFCON departure

Manchester United are hopeful Andre Onana will be available to take on Tottenham Hotspur prior to joining up with Cameroon for their Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

Onana retired from international duty last year in the aftermath of a falling out with management at the 2022 World Cup, but returned to Cameroon action for their September internationals and has been called up for this winter’s AFCON.

Though nations are able to call up players from January 1 onwards, United recently secured permission to keep Onana for their FA Cup third round tie at Wigan Athletic on January 8.

However, the Daily Mail report that United are now attempting to keep Onana for their crucial Premier League clash with Tottenham on January 14 – one day before Cameroon’s AFCON campaign is due to begin.

Cameroon open their group stage campaign against Guinea – who are represented by United striker target Serhou Guirassy – on January 15. They then take on reigning champions Senegal on January 19 and then Gambia on January 23.

The plan would be for Onana to leave Old Trafford immediately after facing Spurs, which kicks off at 4:30pm GMT. He would then take a seven-hour flight to Cameroon’s camp in the Ivory Coast before their match with Guinea starts at 5pm the following afternoon.

There is a possibility that Onana will not miss any United games at all if Cameroon are eliminated at the group stage. Should their last match be against Gambia on January 23, he could return in time for either an FA Cup fourth round tie on the weekend of January 27/28 or United’s Premier League match away at Wolves on February 1.

If Onana is absent, United are expected to lean on fellow summer signing Altay Bayindir, who is yet to make his debut since joining from Fenerbahce.