Onana's Trabzonspor Tango Fizzles: Man Utd Demand £50m for Flop Keeper!

Imagine shelling out nearly £50 million on a goalkeeper, only for him to turn into a human pinata for opposition forwards. That's the sorry tale of André Onana at Manchester United. The Cameroon international's nightmare stint at Old Trafford has left the Red Devils desperate to offload him, but their cheeky price tag is scuppering a permanent move to Trabzonspor.

Onana rocked up from Inter Milan in 2023 amid sky-high expectations, but two seasons of howlers saw him shipped out on loan to Turkey last summer. Enter Senne Lammens, the Belgian stopper nabbed from Royal Antwerp, who's been solid as a rock between the sticks. Onana's made 21 appearances for Trabzonspor this term, grabbing four clean sheets as they sit third in the Süper Lig, but it's not enough to sway United's wallet.

Price Tag Too Steep for Turkish Takers

Trabzonspor's vice president Zeyyat Kafkas didn't mince words when spilling the beans to local outlet Gunebakis. United are holding out for €45-50 million (that's £38-43 million or so) to let Onana go for good. Kafkas reckons their gaffer laid it out straight: Trabzonspor's budget just can't stretch that far.

"Our president sincerely explained the realities of Trabzonspor," Kafkas said. But here's the kicker – Onana and his family aren't fussed. They're eyeing a stay in Europe, top choice England if possible. No hard feelings from the keeper, it seems; he's got his sights set higher than the Black Sea coast.

It's a proper laugh, innit? United forked out £47 million initially, and now, with Onana turning 30 in April, they're dreaming of recouping most of it. Reality check: his stock's in the cellar after those Old Trafford clangers. Clubs will balk at his £164,000-a-week wages too. Good luck shifting that lot without a hefty discount.

United's Keeper Carousel Spins On

Lammens is the undisputed No.1 now, leaving Onana's future murkier than a Manchester fog. Backup Altay Bayındır is rumoured to head back to Turkey for peanuts – less than £10 million, some say. That'd force United into the market again, or worse, turn Onana into the priciest benchwarmer in the Premier League.

His contract runs to 2028, so if no buyer bites, expect another loan spell to dump the salary. Serie A whispers have surfaced before, given his Inter pedigree. But with United's ambitions clashing against market sense, they'll likely slash the asking price come summer. Nobody's paying top dollar for a keeper who's become a meme.

Trabzonspor ruling it out paves the way for fresh suitors, but who fancies rebuilding Onana's rep? Saudi cash? A mid-table Prem side? Or does he rot on the fringes at United? One thing's clear: the Red Devils' goalkeeping woes aren't over yet. Keep your eyes peeled – this saga's got legs.

As caughtoffside via OneFootball first flagged, the transfer grapevine's buzzing. Will United swallow pride and halve the fee? Or cling on like a stubborn terrier? Pour another pint; we'll watch this unfold.