Andre Onana helped Cameroon secure a 3-0 win over Burundi on Tuesday (Picture: Getty)
Manchester United will be without Andre Onana for several games later this season after Cameroon qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
United signed Onana from Inter Milan this summer in a deal worth £47.2m as he replaced David de Gea as the club’s No.1 goalkeeper.
The 27-year-old helped Cameroon secure a 3-0 win over Burundi on Tuesday night, which sealed their qualification for AFCON.
Onana has started all four of United’s Premier League games so far this term, keeping one clean sheet and conceding seven goals.
But United will now be forced to rely on their new back-up Altay Bayindir or third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton later this season due to AFCON.
The African tournament was delayed due to adverse summer weather concerns in the Ivory Coast and is set to take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024.
United are set to face Tottenham, Wolves, West Ham and Aston Villa in the Premier League during that period – meaning Onana could miss all those games.
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FA Cup ties are also due to be played from January 6-7 and January 27-28, meaning Onana may not be present for those matches either.
It could get even worse for the Red Devils if they qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League and Cameroon do well at the African tournament, as United’s first-leg tie could be played just 48 hours after the AFCON showpiece.
Onana would also be almost certain to miss both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-finals too should United make it that far, meaning in a worst-case scenario Erik ten Hag’s side would have to play a total of nine matches without the goalkeeper.
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