14 July 2023 , 09:38
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Andre Onana had dinner in a restaurant owned by Inter Milan legend Javier Zanetti as he prepares to leave the San Siro for Manchester United.
The goalkeeper has only been on the books at the Serie A outfit for a year, but is set to move on with the Premier League calling. United are on the lookout for a new No 1 following the departure of David de Gea and look to have struck a deal with Inter that will see them complete their second summer signing.
Onana, who helped Inter reach the Champions League final and win the Coppa Italia, dined out at the Botinero restaurant in Milan. The swanky joint is owned by Zanetti, who made 858 appearances for Inter and hoisted the European Cup aloft in 2010 at the Bernabeu.
Inter have shown themselves willing to sell their top stars should their valuation be met and Onana is no different. A package worth in the region of £50m has been agreed with the Manchester outfit and will see the goalkeeper reunite with Erik ten Hag, whom he worked with at Ajax.
Onana is understood to have said goodbye to his Inter team-mates after just 12 months. The Italian club are looking to raise funds and have already identified Anatoliy Trubin at Shakhtar Donetsk as a replacement. The profit from Onana's sale could yet fund a move for Romelu Lukaku, with the Chelsea star eyeing a permanent return.
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Ten Hag has admitted that his goalkeeper is a "key position" amid his pursuit of the Cameroonian. United currently have Tom Heaton and Dean Henderson on their books, although the latter is looking to move on.
Andre Onana had dinner in Milan with his Inter exit now imminent (botinero_milano)De Gea had played at Old Trafford for over a decade having been signed by Sir Alex Ferguson, but last term his limitations were exposed. The philosophy Ten Hag embedded previously at Ajax requires a No 1 capable of playing out, which was not the Spaniard's strength.
He made several blunders in the Europa League defeat at Sevilla several months ago. He's also become increasingly error prone with mistakes costing United against the likes of Brentford and, more recently, West Ham. De Gea had won numerous Player of the Year awards, but not for several years.
There had long been talk over a new contract with there being an acceptance that United's then No 1 would've had to taken a pay cut. However issues regarding the offering of a new deal eventually saw De Gea announce his departure on social media.