Man United's Onana to miss AFCON start for PL game

Man United’s Onana to miss AFCON start for PL game – source،

Rob Dawson, correspondentJanuary 10, 2024, 9:44 a.m.

Andre Onana is expected to miss Cameroon's first match at the Africa Cup of Nations in order to make himself available for Manchester United's Premier League match against Tottenham, a source has told ESPN.

Onana has received permission from the Cameroon FA to skip a warm-up camp in Saudi Arabia to play for United against Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup on Monday.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (US)

The goalkeeper is expected to further delay his departure to play against Tottenham at Old Trafford on Sunday, and a source has told ESPN that the Cameroon FA has accepted that he is unlikely to be available for their first AFCON group match against Guinea 24 hours later. January 15.

Onana is scheduled to play the final two Group C matches against Senegal on January 19 and Gambia on January 23.

He will miss United's FA Cup fourth round match against Newport County or Eastleigh on the weekend of January 27-28 and could remain with Cameroon until February 11 if they reach the final of the tournament, which is being held in Ivory Coast. . Side.

Meanwhile, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is expected to be in the stands for the first time since striking a deal to buy a 25% stake in United when Tottenham visit Old Trafford this weekend.

Ratcliffe, chief executive of INEOS, spoke to manager Erik ten Hag at Carrington and met members of the first team and will attend his first match on Sunday.

INEOS director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford was at the DW Stadium for the 2-0 win over Wigan on Monday alongside INEOS sport managing director Jean-Claude Blanc and current director of football John Murtough.

Brailsford and Blanc are expected to take INEOS' two seats on United's board once Ratcliffe's minority stake is ratified.

A source told ESPN that Brailsford had been a constant presence at Carrington since the deal was announced on Christmas Eve and had held a series of meetings with key personnel during the transition period before the agreement is officially signed.