After a heated dispute with Cameroon football chief Samuel Eto’o, Andre Onana contemplated leaving the Africa Cup of Nations and making a return to Manchester United.
The disagreement led to his exclusion from Cameroon’s pivotal 3-2 victory against Gambia, leaving the United goalkeeper deeply unsettled.
Despite the rift with Eto’o, Onana prioritised the Cameroon team over personal differences and opted to stay with the squad, even though he is currently not in the starting lineup.
Onana’s cousin, Fabrice Ondoa, has taken over the goalkeeping duties, and Onana anticipates being on the bench for the upcoming last-16 knockout game against Nigeria.
His absence in Cameroon’s initial group game was due to his participation in Manchester United’s Premier League draw with Tottenham on January 14.
Joining the Cameroon squad via a private jet, Onana made a comeback in a 3-1 loss to Senegal. However, being held responsible for two of the goals resulted in his exclusion from the crucial final group game against Gambia. This decision sparked a dispute between Onana and former Chelsea and Barcelona striker, Eto’o.
Eyewitnesses from Cameroon report that the altercation between Onana and Eto’o escalated into an aggressive exchange, marked by both men raising their voices, per the Daily Star. The strain in their relationship dates back to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Onana was sent home from the tournament, contributing to the deterioration in their connection.
Andre Onana seems to be a news magnet, for both good and bad moments, but unfortunately for him there has been more negative moments than positive.
Onana will be absent from his first game of the season for Manchester United on Sunday as Erik ten Hag’s side faces League Two Newport County in the FA Cup fourth round. Altay Bayindir is set to make his Manchester United debut at the weekend.