Manchester United make Andre Onana AFCON decision, reach agreement with Cameroon FA over player's availability - Reports

According to David Ornstein, Manchester United have reached an agreement with the Cameroonian Football Federation over Andre Onana's availability ahead of the highly anticipated AFCON 2024 tournament.

Onana has been called up by Cameroon's national team and is expected to start between the sticks for Rigobert Song's team. United, however, have convinced the Cameroon FA to let the goalkeeper play their Premier League home clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, January 14.

The 27-year-old shot-stopper will also be available for selection when Cameroon play Guinea in their AFCON 2024 opener on Monday, January 15. He has so far made 37 appearances for Cameroon since his international debut in 2016, keeping 16 clean sheets.

Onana announced his retirement from international football after leaving Cameroon's 2022 FIFA World Cup camp due to a falling out with head coach Song over tactics. Onana has since reversed his decision and returned to the national team's selection pool ahead of the AFCON qualifiers, which started in September 2023.

Andre Onana joined Manchester United from Inter Milan for a reported €55 million fee in the 2023 summer transfer window. Since the move, Onana has started every single game for the Red Devils. He has so far made 28 appearances for the club, keeping eight clean sheets.

However, Onana has also made some high-profile errors, especially in the UEFA Champions League. The 27-year-old has conceded 45 goals, which showcase United's defensive frailty this season.

Despite that, Erik ten Hag trusts the goalkeeper, evident by the club's efforts to keep Onana for as long as possible ahead of AFCON.

The Red Devils also signed Altay Bayindir from Fenerbahce in the summer for a reported £4.3 million. Bayindir, however, is yet to make his debut for the Red Devils.

Who is Altay Bayindir: Manchester United's second-choice goalkeeper behind Andre Onana

Apart from Andre Onana, Manchester United also signed Altay Bayindir from Fenerbahce last summer. While the 25-year-old is yet to make his debut for the Red Devils, he is a well-known figure in European football.

Bayaindir made 145 appearances for Fenerbahce, keeping 44 clean sheets, before joining the Red Devils. He has also played for Turkish side Ankaragucu in his club career.

Bayindir is also a Turkey international and has represented the national team eight times in his career since making his debut in 2021. When Turkey defeated Germany 3-2 in an international friendly in November, Bayindir's performance earned plaudits from fans and experts.

The 25-year-old could finally get the chance to showcase his talent for the Red Devils during Onana's absence.