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Andre Onana has been advised to secure a permanent move away from Manchester United during the upcoming summer transfer window. The Cameroonian goalkeeper has been told by his compatriot Eric Djemba-Djemba that the passionate English fans “don’t care” about offering second chances. After two error-filled seasons at Old Trafford, Onana has seen his confidence take a major hit, ultimately leading to a loan move away from the club.

Man United brought in Senne Lammens and allowed Onana to move out on loan.

During his time at Turkish side Trabzonspor, Onana managed to regain some confidence, enjoying a successful spell that included lifting the Turkish Cup at the end of the 2025-26 season. His loan spell is set to conclude this summer, which means he is scheduled to return to Old Trafford.

Despite being only 30 years old, a relatively young age for a goalkeeper, Onana’s long-term future in English football looks uncertain. This comes even though United paid £43 million ($58m) to sign him from Inter Milan in 2023.

Across two seasons as United’s first-choice goalkeeper, Onana struggled to win over both the coaching staff and supporters, even though he helped the team secure an FA Cup title. Eventually, the club decided it needed a more consistent presence between the posts, and in September 2025, Senne Lammens was brought in to fill that role.

Should Onana make a permanent move in 2026?

Onana remains under contract with Manchester United until 2028, but the club is expected to sell him in order to recover part of his initial transfer fee. Discussing the situation, former United and Cameroon midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba told GOAL in association with World Cup Betting: “It’s quite difficult for him, because when he left on loan, it was the right move. He played regularly, he won a cup, and that helped him a lot.”

“He’s not a bad goalkeeper, but he joined at a bad time. In England, sometimes people don’t care if a goalkeeper is good with his feet – they only want a keeper who stays on his line and makes saves. He was unfortunate to arrive during a tough period, and that made things difficult for him.”

“Now he’s gone out on loan, played well, and won silverware, but Lammens has stepped up and performed brilliantly. It will be hard for the manager to change that. Even if I were the manager, I wouldn’t want to disrupt that balance because the second goalkeeper helped take the team into the Champions League. It’s tough to change that.”

“If Onana returns now, he will probably be on the bench, and that will be hard for him. The atmosphere will be different, and he won’t be happy not playing, which could also affect Lammens. So, in my view, the best solution for him is to seek a transfer.”

Loss of confidence: Onana never fully recovered from early mistakes

When asked if Onana suffered a crisis of confidence at Old Trafford, known as the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, Djemba-Djemba replied: “I think so. When a goalkeeper makes one or two mistakes, even the best in the world start to doubt themselves. Every keeper goes through that phase, but you need to keep playing to rebuild your confidence.”

“For him, it became extremely difficult. One mistake led to another, the pressure from fans intensified, and the media scrutiny increased. In England, it’s never easy. He gave his best, but now the right thing for him is to move on and rebuild his confidence elsewhere.”

Manchester United open to offers as transfer window approaches

Manchester United are expected to listen to offers once the new transfer window opens, as the move that once looked full of promise has failed to deliver the expected results. At this stage of his career, Onana needs to be playing regularly as a first-choice goalkeeper.

Although his reputation took a hit during his time in England, Onana’s experience — boasting 53 international caps and a UEFA Champions League final appearance — means he will likely attract interest from several clubs across Europe and beyond.