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Andre Onana Wants Ajax Stay Amid Manchester United Rumours
June 30, 2019
Andre Onana has been linked with Manchester United, but the Cameroon international goalkeeper is happy to remain an Ajax player for the foreseeable future.
Onana wants to build on the tremendous season Ajax enjoyed in 2018/19, when the Eredivisie club reached the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League. The Amsterdam outfit also won the domestic title and lifted the KNVB Cup.
Yet despite the success, Onana still wants more, telling Voetbal International (h/t Robert Summerscales of MailOnline): "It is important to me that I play at a good level and that I can continue to develop. I am still young and with Ajax we have just proved how much we can achieve with this club. It will not be easy to surpass that. But I want to fight for new success with Ajax."
Those words should end links to United, even though Summerscales noted Onana is seen as a potential replacement for David De Gea. It would depend on if De Gea leaves Old Trafford during this transfer window.
Earlier in June, The Sun's Martin Blackburn reported how United were "impressed" with Onana and viewed him as a cheaper alternative to Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak. Blackburn noted how De Gea's contract is up in 2020 and a lucrative bid may tempt the Red Devils to cash in now.
De Gea has been a rock for United during a relatively lean spell for the club in recent seasons. Yet his familiar consistency deserted him at times last season with mistakes becoming common for the Spain international.
The 28-year-old was notably at fault when United lost 2-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium back in March. He misjudged the trajectory of a shot by Granit Xhaka from distance.
While De Gea appears to be on the slide, Onana is a stopper who has gone from strength to strength in recent years. The 23-year-old is continuing to thrive while representing the Indomitable Lions at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, keeping two clean sheets in as many games.
Onana committing his future to Ajax is good news for a club in danger of seeing many of its gifted youngsters move on. Midfielder Frenkie de Jong has already joined Barcelona and will be unveiled on July 5, according to Ivan San Antonio of Sport.
Meanwhile, centre-back Matthijs de Ligt is expected to join Serie A giants Juventus, per Goal's Romeo Agresti.
Keeping Onana between the sticks will help Ajax retain some of the strength at the back that defined their excellent season. It would also mean United need to get more creative when making any plans for possible life without De Gea.