Manchester United hope to be able to stick to their valuation on Andre Onana and hope the tactic works out as it did with Mason Mount, according to Ben Jacobs in his exclusive CaughtOffside column.
The Inter Milan goalkeeper is a target for Man Utd, though they hope to get the deal done for under £42million, which remains some way off Inter’s valuation.
However, the Serie A giants need to sell Onana, so that could work to the Red Devils’ advantage, and it seems they will use that in their favour as they did when trying to strike a deal with Chelsea for Mount this summer.
United surely need a new goalkeeper next season, with Onana looking like he could be a significant upgrade on David de Gea, whose contract situation has yet to be resolved.
Jacobs also adds that Dean Henderson is currently back at United pre-season training but will look to leave unless Erik ten Hag makes him number one.
“Manchester United are still pursuing Andre Onana, but at the time of writing (Tuesday morning) they have not tabled an official bid,” Jacobs explained.
“Inter are going to have to sell some stars, even with €18m incoming for Marcelo Brozovic, who was announced as a new Al-Nassr player yesterday.
“Manchester United want to do a deal for under £42m (€50m). Inter value Onana higher.
“Manchester United’s approach is fully in keeping with the club’s desire to get two players in early for around £100m, with Mason Mount having taken up £55m from that budget (and a potential £5m in add-ons in the future).
“Manchester United will play on the fact Inter need to sell and, as with Mount, stick to their valuation.
“Manchester United will also want to resolve the David de Gea situation quickly. He is now a free agent, and it would be really disappointing and unsettling for Erik ten Hag to enter into the main part pre-season without knowing who his No.1 is.
“Dean Henderson is back training with the club following a loan spell at Nottingham Forest. But unless he’s crowned No.1, the 26-year-old wants to leave. Forest are expected to make a bid. And for Henderson to change his mind and agree to stay at Old Trafford he would have to be positive no one is ahead of him in the pecking order.”