2023 AFCON: Andre Onana Chooses Man United Over Cameroon

Football enthusiasts in Cameroon are currently confused over the arrangement between the country’s goalkeeper, Andre Onana, and the country’s FA.

Andre Onana is currently one of the biggest players in the Cameroon national team, and he is one of the players expected to help the country win the 2023 AFCON.

However, viral reports claimed that Onana has agreed to remain with his Premier League club, Manchester United, a day after the kick-off of the biggest football competition in Africa, AFCON.

Note that Premier League clubs were mandated to release the players invited for the competition on or before January 1, except if there is a concrete agreement between a country’s FA and a club regarding a player resuming late.

A couple of players have been permitted to resume late, but the alleged permission granted to Andre Onana has never been heard of in the tournament’s history.

Naija News gathered that the 27-year-old goalkeeper is expected to stay back at Old Trafford for Manchester United’s FA Cup third-round game against Wigan Athletic on Monday, January 8.

As if that was not funny enough, Onana is expected to feature in Manchester United’s Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur on January 14, a day after the 2023 AFCON had kicked off.

After the FA Cup game, which will kick off at 5:30 p.m., the goalkeeper is expected to fly from England to Ivory Coast, a 7-hour trip, to link up with Cameroon.

This means that he is expected to feature in Cameroon’s 2023 AFCON opener against Guinea on January 15, less than a day after he arrives at the camp.

Suppose this arrangement stands, and Cameroon, who are in Group C alongside the Gambia, Guinea, and the reigning AFCON champion, Senegal, fail to qualify for the next round of the competition. In that case, Andre Onana will miss no match at Old Trafford.

He will fly back to England after Cameroon’s last group stage game against Gambia on January 23 and then become available for Manchester United’s FA Cup round of 16 clash on January 27 if they beat Wigan in the third round.

But based on the prestige of Cameroon who have won five AFCON titles, the country is expected to go beyond the group stage.