FootyChatter.com

EPL Up until fairly recently, the prospect of Andre Onana playing in the Manchester derby appeared plausible, at least to the outside world. Altay Bayindir’s promotion to Ruben Amorim’s goalkeeper of choice did not seem set in stone after less-than-convincing performances in the Premier League. Although Onana made two errors in the humiliation at Grimsby Town, he still had more elite experience than Bayindir. It is only two years since Pep Guardiola called Onana an “exceptional goalkeeper” for his build-up play as Inter’s goalkeeper, negating Manchester City’s high press in the Champions League final. Advertisement Instead, Onana is set to make his debut for his new side, Trabzonspor, away in Istanbul, as the action at the Etihad reaches its final stages on Sunday. Coincidentally, appearing opposite Onana should be Ederson, who is expected to make his first appearance for home side Fenerbahce after leaving City on deadline day. Onana and Ederson were the two goalkeepers in each of the Manchester derbies last season, the most recent being April’s goalless draw at Old Trafford. United won 2-1 at the Etihad in December, when Amorim made two major calls by omitting Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the squad. Amorim’s strength of personality can be seen again in Onana’s exit from United. Despite Onana’s severe drop in form last season — a low point being the 2-2 draw in Lyon after a public spat with Nemanja Matic — United did not plan to sign a new goalkeeper when the summer window opened. But circumstances changed when Onana returned for pre-season. His hamstring injury, picked up on the first day at Carrington, and an expectation that he would remain No 1, left Amorim dissatisfied. Onana is a big personality, and occasionally, in the eyes of some people at United, while that can be a positive it can also ruffle feathers. Onana travelled on United’s U. S. tour, and had his name chanted by children as he attended a community event at a Chicago Fire facility, but he only managed three full training sessions by the time Arsenal visited Old Trafford on the opening weekend. Despite expecting to play, Onana was left out of the squad to face Arsenal, and Amorim kept him on the bench against Fulham and Burnley either side of the blunders at Blundell Park. Those selections were a clear indication of Amorim’s feelings and following Bayindir’s inability to prevent Arsenal’s goal, Sir Jim Ratcliffe also backed the recommendation by director of football Jason Wilcox to sign a new goalkeeper. Advertisement Talks started on Senne Lammens but United figres told Onana’s representatives to hold off on finding him a new club. United were comfortable having four goalkeepers, including Tom Heaton, bearing in mind Onana had the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon in December. The message subtly changed after Lammens signed on deadline day. Onana was informed that United would be happy to keep him, but he would be welcome to explore opportunities. By then, the Turkish and Saudi Arabian windows remained the only realistic destinations still open. After Fernando Muslera left to join Estudiantes, Galatasaray were in the market and had been linked with Onana during the summer, but talks did not become serious. Later, close to the British deadline, Galatasaray offered Lammens an alternative route out of Royal Antwerp, but he chose United. Galatasaray were also seriously interested in Ederson. Instead, Ederson chose Fenerbahce and Galatasaray signed Ugurcan Cakir from Trabzonspor in a deal reported to be worth up to €36million (£31m; $42m). “A figure well beyond expectations, ” says Engin Kehale, a pundit for TRT Spor and S Sport in Turkey. Galatasaray announced the deal last Wednesday. Fenerbahce were close to signing Cakir earlier in the summer but Trabzonspor had, back then, refused to sell their captain to a Turkish rival. To complete the Manchester connections, Trabzonspor had been considering City’s Stefan Ortega, but aware of Onana’s changing circumstances, they made their prime interest in him clear. It left Onana with two choices: Trabzonspor, or four months out of the picture at United until the January transfer window. Some people close to United are surprised that Onana, 29, elected to leave, rather than try to fight for his place or wait until other European clubs could move for him in the winter market. Although it is a straight loan, he is effectively ending his United career with this switch. An Old Trafford return after a season of Super Lig football is highly unlikely. But Onana can read the writing on the wall, and rather than being frozen out, he has taken a chance to rebuild his reputation. Trabzonspor are second in the table after four games. Advertisement Onana will also count a higher figure in his bank balance, with his take-home pay increasing in Turkey due to signing-on fees, bonuses, and a slightly more favourable tax rate. His income should double. He has wished to discuss his salary with United since his salary was cut from £170, 000 per week to £120, 000 per week (roughly £67, 000 per week after tax) due to the club’s failure to qualify for the Champions League after his first campaign. He has people who depend on him in Cameroon, where he has opened the Andre Onana Foundation. With a United contract that runs until 2028, Onana should attract a broader spectrum of suitors next summer, depending on how he does at Trabzonspor. Onana played for Cameroon in a dramatic World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night, conceding the only goal when Dailon Livramento ran clear to finish. Onana won a header when going up for a corner late on but the defeat leaves Cameroon’s hopes of reaching the finals next year in real jeopardy. For now, Onana’s next stop is Paris and then a flight on to Trabzon for his unveiling, with the transfer yet to be officially announced. “Many fans were sceptical, ” says Kehale. “But Onana ticks plenty of boxes: strong under pressure with his distribution, a high ceiling, and the potential to be a difference-maker if he adapts well. “There’ll be some pressure on Onana. If he can start well, the fans will adopt him very quickly. Trabzon is a very emotional city and their ups and downs are quite fast. “They started well and until Cakir’s transfer, the mood was quite good. They will have a positive feeling about Onana joining because they want to get over the Cakir deal as soon as possible, but he has to start well. “This was a timely opportunity for Trabzonspor and Onana, and I expect him to do well. Whether Trabzonspor can mount a genuine title challenge remains uncertain. Against the two heavy spenders from Istanbul, their chances look slim. ” Advertisement Onana portrays assuredness but those who know him say his confidence was impacted at United, affecting his performances. A change of goalkeeping coaches, from Jelle ten Rouwelaar, with whom Onana had a great relationship, to Jorge Vital, was another factor. Vital, 64, will instead be tasked with helping extract consistent performances from Lammens, who had his first training session at Carrington on Monday. Lammens was not called up by Belgium manager Rudi Garcia for the September internationals, in a surprise omission. The 23-year-old was a squad member for the March and June camps. Garcia hinted at his move to United as a complication, but Charles Vanhoutte, a midfielder who was included, signed for Nice at the time of the squad announcement. Instead, Garcia named Thibaut Courtois, Matz Sels, Mike Penders, the talented 20-year-old who is on loan at Strasbourg from Chelsea, and Maarten Vandevoordt, a 23-year-old who made six Bundesliga appearances for RB Leipzig last season, as his goalkeepers. Bayindir, meanwhile, was called up by Turkey but did not feature in either of his nation’s World Cup qualifiers, including the 6-0 defeat against Spain on Sunday. Cakir was in goal for that game. Amorim, who backed enquiries about Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez during the summer window, would stay true to form by sticking with Bayindir at the Etihad. There is similar intrigue about who will start in goal on the blue side, with Gianluigi Donnarumma yet another deadline day goalkeeper signing. Guardiola’s other option is James Trafford. Donnarumma was offered to United, but his wages, set at £13m per year net, were far in excess of what United could countenance. Trafford did not know City would sign another goalkeeper when making his decision to join Guardiola rather than move to Newcastle United, but that has been the story of this summer regarding goalkeepers: minds changing in Manchester. While United and City go at it again, Ederson and Onana will be facing off 1, 700 miles away. (Top photo: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Laurie Whitwell worked for the Daily Mail from 2010, covering midlands football for the last five years, including Leicester’s remarkable Premier League triumph. Whitwell was nominated for sports scoop of the year at the 2019 SJAs for breaking Wayne Rooney’s move to DC United. He will be reporting on Manchester United for The Athletic. Follow Laurie on Twitter @lauriewhitwell