Revealed: Man Utd Games Onana Will Miss Due To AFCON

Following his 2023 AFCON call-up with Cameroon on Thursday, Andre Onana will miss several Manchester United games.

Earlier in the World Cup in Qatar, Onana had announced his retirement from international competition after a clash with Cameroon manager Rigobert Song. However, the two have patched up their differences, and the goalie went on to contribute significantly at the AFCON qualifiers.

READ ALSO: Why Man United Risk Seeing Onana Banned In January 

The goalkeeper has now been added to Cameroon’s 27-man roster for the January 13–start Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition.

Onana is likely to miss four Premier League games with Manchester United while honouring his national team duty. Those include a home encounter with Tottenham, Wolves at Molineux, West Ham at Old Trafford and a trip to London to take on Aston Villa.

He could also remain unavailable for United’s FA Cup third-round tie away at Wigan which is slated to take place on January 8 if he is required to attend a pre-tournament camp for Cameroon. Moreover, he will also miss a potential fourth round FA Cup tie, scheduled on the weekend of January 27-28, if the Red Devils qualify.

According to reports, Onana was prepared to pull out of AFCON to protect his starting berth at United after several high-profile errors between the sticks put question marks on his reliability with the gloves. He reportedly worries that if Turkish goalie Altay Bayinider can step up in his place after returning from the AFCON, he will end up being a benchwarmer.

After being summoned by Song, Onana finds himself in the middle of a difficult decision. Players are usually required by FIFA standards to “respond affirmatively” to calls up to the national team. Recognising the intricacy of the situation, United has offered Onana support in whatever choice he makes and has been in communication with Cameroon in an attempt to reach a mutually agreeable conclusion. After all is said and done, the goalkeeper is the centre of attention.