Update: Andre Onana Manchester United transfer exit pathway clear as ‘active interest’ update given News

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has been criticised for several high-profile mistakes this season, including in last week’s 2-2 draw at Lyon.

Clubs from Saudi Arabia reportedly hold an active interest in Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana.

The ex-Inter Milan keeper was once again in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons as United let slip a late lead against Lyon in last Thursday’s 2-2 draw in the Europa League. The Cameroonian was at fault for both goals netted by the French side.

Onana first let Thiago Almada’s cross find the back of the net from out wide and then fumbled an attempt straight into Rayan Cherki’s path for Lyon’s last-minute equaliser. It came after a disagreement with former United midfielder Nemanja Matic, who now plays for Lyon but was listed among the substitutes for the match.

And journalist Fabrizio Romano, who specialises in transfers, has reported the latest on Onana’s future. He claims that Saudi Arabian clubs have maintained their interest from two summers ago.

“Saudi Pro League clubs were keen on signing André Onana already in summer 2023, when the GK only wanted Man United,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“The interest remains active ahead of the summer transfer window; no decision has been made yet, as Onana hopes to be back in #MUFC starting XI vs Lyon.”

The first-leg draw of United’s quarter-final tie has piled the pressure on Amorim’s men ahead of Thursday’s crucial second leg at Old Trafford. The Reds are well aware that clinching victory in Europe’s secondary competition is their only ticket to European football for the 2025/26 season.

Reds boss Ruben Amorim defended Onana after the game in France, insisting that he will not say anything to United’s under-pressure goalkeeper. The 29-year-old was rested for Sunday’s defeat at Newcastle but could return for the second leg against Lyon.

“It can happen,” Amorim said of Onana’s mistakes. “If you play football, you play a lot of games, you can make mistakes. If you look at the season, I make more mistakes than them during these last games and these last months. The other thing is we have one more game to change everything and that should be our focus.

“I don’t know (if Matic unsettled Onana), that can happen. The best thing is to look at the goals, all the actions that Andre had in the game, talk with (Jorge) Vital and Craig (Mawson), this is the best way to help any player. It’s to focus on the game, what happened, what we need to improve and then put the player in.

“I didn’t see [Onana], to be honest with you. I use these minutes to try to calm down, to come here to say the right things. It’s normal. I felt the dressing room was really quiet. We draw away, in Europe, that is always hard, but the team is suffering, we need to change that.

“Nothing. We have training, go with Vital and we deal with that. Really natural. That can happen with any player. There’s nothing I can say to Andre in this moment. The most important thing is to be natural and then, when the time comes, I will choose the best XI to play. But I’m really confident in Andre.”