Time for Man Utd's 6ft 6in ace to prove his worth as £47.2m summer signing receives AFCON call-up
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has been named by Cameroon in their squad for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The competition will take place from January 13 to February 11.
Man United could be without their first-choice goalkeeper for four Premier League games against Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United, and Aston Villa.
Onana could also miss the third and fourth rounds of the FA Cup if the Red Devils advance to the next stages of the competition.
In Onana’s absence, Altay Bayindir could start between the sticks.
Bayindir could get the chance to stake his claim for no.1 spot
Bayindir has yet to make an appearance for United since his transfer in the summer.
The 25-year-old was signed from Fenerbahce for £4.3 million in the summer. Standing at an impressive 6 feet 6 inches, he could turn out to be a fine acquisition for the Red Devils.
Erik ten Hag has backed Onana despite the Cameroon international making some glaring mistakes at the back.
The £47.2m summer signing has been very poor at shot-stopping. His blunders contributed heavily to Man United’s elimination from the Champions League.
He was at fault in the Red Devils’ recent 3-2 win over Aston Villa.
John McGinn whipped in an inswinging cross that Onana failed to deal with. The ball went past him with the goalkeeper rooted on his line.
Bayinder can cause huge selection problems for Ten Hag if he proves his worth in early 2024.
If he does not concede any sloppy goals and displays fine ball distribution from the back in January, Ten Hag might be forced to stick with the Turkish ace even if Onana returns.
Tom Heaton could also be thrown into the deep end, but Bayindir should be preferred over the veteran.
United next face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
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