Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag at risk of Arsenal problem if key player makes U-turn
McTominay insists Man Utd squad remain fully behind Ten Hag
Manchester United could be left with a problem that has thwarted Arsenal this season if Andre Onana decides to represent Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations this winter. Mikel Arteta has brought a goalkeeper dilemma upon himself, and Erik ten Hag could soon suffer the same headache.
Aaron Ramsdale was a crucial part of Arsenal’s ultimately unsuccessful Premier League title bid last season, having joined in a £30million deal in 2021.
But Arteta sought potential gains the Gunners could make to go a step further this term and decided to recruit David Raya as competition.
The Spaniard enjoyed an impressive 2022/23 campaign at Brentford and switched to the Emirates Stadium on a £3m season-long loan, with an obligation to make it permanent for £27m next summer.
However, signing another starting goalkeeper has brought issues to Arsenal this season despite the club’s renewed title pursuit.
Raya has featured 16 times, but Ramsdale has made eight appearances, and it remains unclear who Arteta views as his long-term No 1.
Neither has been convincing, and the idea of two similarly talented goalkeepers vying for such a sensitive position has been widely thought to be the reason.
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Arteta experimented with the possibility of goalkeepers challenging for a starting berth just as outfield players do.
But it hasn’t worked, prompting increasing speculation about Ramsdale’s future in north London, given Raya is the more recent purchase.
When Ten Hag splashed £47m to bring Onana to United in the summer, he was led to believe the 27-year-old was retired from Cameroon duty.
But Onana caused a surprise when he settled his differences with Rigobert Song shortly after and resumed his international career. He will likely now miss a period in the new year to play at AFCON.
Ten Hag was keen to replace Dean Henderson as well as David de Gea for that reason, luring Fenerbahce’s starting stopper Altay Bayindir to Old Trafford in a £4m deal.
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Bayindir is yet to make his United debut despite Onana’s sloppy start to life after Inter Milan. However, his chance will come if the Red Devils No 1 pledges his loyalty to his country as expected.
That’s a contentious position for United to be in. Not just because they are losing their big-money goalkeeper for a run of fixtures, but what if Bayindir wins Ten Hag over?
He would then have the exact same problem as Arteta, and he desperately needs to avoid any more of those when he can.
The last thing Onana needs to shake off his early blunders is to return to Manchester with the task of winning his place back or the thought of Bayindir breathing down his neck.
For that reason, it may not be much of a surprise to see him opt against representing Cameroon at AFCON.
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