Man UTD offload error hit keeper Andre Onana to Trabzonspor after brutal fall from grace

Andre Onana’s turbulent time at Manchester United has taken another dramatic turn, with the Cameroon goalkeeper joining Turkish club Trabzonspor on loan until the end of the season.

The 29-year-old, once signed to be United’s long-term number one, has been forced out after slipping down the pecking order under new manager Ruben Amorim. The deal, announced just before the Turkish transfer window closes on Friday, is still subject to international clearance and registration.

United offered only the briefest of farewells in their official statement: “We would like to wish Andre good luck.” For a player who arrived with such fanfare and a £47.2m price tag, the cold send-off spoke volumes.

Onana’s United career began in July 2023 when then-boss Erik ten Hag, his former coach at Ajax, brought him in from Inter Milan to replace David de Gea. He was billed as the modern sweeper-keeper who would transform United’s style of play. At first, there were glimpses of his quality. He helped the club lift the FA Cup in 2024 and notched over 100 appearances.

But his spell was plagued by costly errors. From Champions League blunders to Premier League mishaps, the narrative around Onana quickly shifted from saviour to liability. His jittery displays eroded confidence, both on the pitch and in the stands, as Old Trafford turned increasingly restless.

The arrival of Belgian keeper Senne Lammens on deadline day sealed Onana’s fate. The 23-year-old joined from Royal Antwerp for an initial £18.1m, with add-ons included. Amorim also has Altay Bayindir and veteran Tom Heaton as cover, leaving no room for a high-profile stopper who could not deliver consistency.

Onana’s final outing for United came in the most ignominious of circumstances – a shock Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League Two side Grimsby. Having already been dropped from the squad for United’s first three league fixtures, the writing was on the wall.

For a player who once stood between the sticks for Inter Milan in a Champions League final, the fall has been sharp. His high-risk, high-reward style that once won him admirers in Italy and the Netherlands unravelled in England, where mistakes were amplified under the Old Trafford spotlight.

The move to Trabzonspor offers him a fresh start in a league where expectation may be less suffocating. But it also feels like a humbling exile for a player tipped to define United’s new era just two years ago.

His departure also highlights the instability of United’s transfer policy in recent years. De Gea was discarded after a decade of service, only for his replacement to flame out spectacularly. Lammens may yet prove to be the long-term solution, but fans are still digesting another expensive miscalculation.

For Onana, the focus will now be on rebuilding confidence and reputation in Turkey. Whether he can ever return to Old Trafford as a credible challenger remains doubtful. United have moved on, ruthlessly and without sentiment.

As Amorim prepares his team for Sunday’s daunting Premier League clash away at Manchester City, he will do so without the man once entrusted with keeping United’s goal safe. For Onana, the journey continues — but it feels like the dream that began with his £47m arrival has ended in bitter disappointment