Author: Crazy

Manchester United have completed the £47.2m signing of goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan.

Onana has signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford with the option of a further year, as he replaces the departed David De Gea, who left the club after 12 years as the club’s first-choice stopper.

The transfer fee for the 27-year-old Cameroon international is an initial €51m (£43.8m), plus €4m (£3.4m) in potential add-ons, depending on individual and club performance.

United boss Erik ten Hag worked with Onana at Ajax, where they won three league titles and two KNVB Cups together and reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.

The goalkeeper, who has kept 104 clean sheets in 255 appearances throughout his club career, joined Inter Milan in 2022 and won the Coppa Italia during his time at the San Siro.

“To join Manchester United is an incredible honour and I have worked hard all my life to get to this moment, overcoming many obstacles along the way,” Onana said.

“Walking out at Old Trafford to defend our goal and contribute to the team will be another amazing experience. This is the start of a new journey for me, with new teammates, and new ambitions to fight for.

“Manchester United has a long history of incredible goalkeepers, and I will now give everything to create my own legacy in the coming years. I am excited by the opportunity to work again with Erik ten Hag, and I can’t wait to play my part in the success I know he is determined to deliver at this great football club.”

Kaveh: Ten Hag has the goalkeeper he wants

Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:

“Erik ten Hag has got the goalkeeper he wants for next season. You have to say it’s an incredible deal for Inter Milan, because they signed Onana last summer on a free transfer and are now selling him for up to almost £48m.

“Ten Hag knows him well because he worked with him at Ajax.

“He’s a modern goalkeeper. He can play out from the back, is very comfortable on the ball and likes to take risks – so many, in fact, he was sent home from the World Cup by the manager of Cameroon because he was unhappy with how much he was playing out.

“He’s a bit of a contrast from David De Gea. Everyone talks about how you need a goalkeeper who’s comfortable on the ball and can play out from the back in modern football, and Onana can certainly do that – he was exceptional for Inter, helping them get to the Champions League final.

“He has had a bit of history with Ten Hag before, they fell out a couple of times at Ajax and he was dropped, and he also served a nine-month ban for a doping violation, but Ten Hag wanted a new goalkeeper and he’s got his man.”

Analysis: Why Onana can elevate Man Utd

Sky Sports digital football journalist Zinny Boswell:

“Andre Onana represents the modern goalkeeper. He can play with his feet, he’s mobile which allows him to play as a sweeper ‘keeper. But most importantly, he’s confident. That’s going to be the key for him at Man Utd. They’ll hope he will be able to deal with what Gary Neville describes as the most pressurised role in English football.

“The key thing behind Onana’s arrival will be that he unlocks Man Utd’s build-up play. We saw Lisandro Martinez arrive last season from Ajax and it just had such a big impact on the confidence of the team when playing out from the back. We’ve also seen David De Gea’s shortcomings in that area hold the team back.

“Looking at the stats, Onana outperforms De Gea across passing frequency, passing accuracy, long passes and long passing accuracy. But we can also see that Onana tends to go short more often. In terms of the way Ten Hag is trying to play, with the aim of controlling games, Onana will be the perfect goalkeeper for the Dutchman.

“If the goalkeeper is stuttering over his passes that spreads throughout the team. As we’ve seen with Man Utd over the last season they’ve been pretty fragile at times. They could do with a bit of confidence at the back.”

Who will be on the move this summer ahead of the transfer window closing at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?

Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports‘ digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.

Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana is undergoing a medical with Man Utd ahead of completing a £47.2m move to Old Trafford.

Once completed and contracts are formally signed, he will join up with the rest of the squad in the US for United’s pre-season tour.

The squad fly out later on Wednesday, after their pre-season game against Lyon at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, and it is likely Onana will travel later this week.

A breakthrough on discussions between United and Inter came on Tuesday following days of talks between the clubs, with the deal including an initial fee of €51m (£43.8m), plus €4m (£3.4m) in potential add-ons, depending on individual and club performance.

Onana has made clear his intention to move to Old Trafford and reunite with his former Ajax manager, Erik ten Hag, who is driving the move for the 27-year-old.

United are also exploring the signing of Japan ‘keeper Zion Suzuki from Urawa Red Diamonds after David De Gea failed to agree terms on a new contract and announced his exit on a free transfer earlier this month.

Kaveh: Ten Hag has the goalkeeper he wants

Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:

“Erik ten Hag has got the goalkeeper he wants for next season. You have to say it’s an incredible deal for Inter Milan, because they signed Onana last summer on a free transfer and are now selling him for up to almost £48m.

“Ten Hag knows him well because he worked with him at Ajax.

“He’s a modern goalkeeper. He can play out from the back, is very comfortable on the ball and likes to take risks – so many, in fact, he was sent home from the World Cup by the manager of Cameroon because he was unhappy with how much he was playing out.

“He’s a bit of a contrast from David De Gea. Everyone talks about how you need a goalkeeper who’s comfortable on the ball and can play out from the back in modern football, and Onana can certainly do that – he was exceptional for Inter, helping them get to the Champions League final.

“He has had a bit of history with Ten Hag before, they fell out a couple of times at Ajax and he was dropped, and he also served a nine-month ban for a doping violation, but Ten Hag wanted a new goalkeeper and he’s got his man.”

Analysis: Why Onana can elevate Man Utd

Sky Sports digital football journalist Zinny Boswell:

“Andre Onana represents the modern goalkeeper. He can play with his feet, he’s mobile which allows him to play as a sweeper ‘keeper. But most importantly, he’s confident. That’s going to be the key for him at Man Utd. They’ll hope he will be able to deal with what Gary Neville describes as the most pressurised role in English football.

“The key thing behind Onana’s arrival will be that he unlocks Man Utd’s build-up play. We saw Lisandro Martinez arrive last season from Ajax and it just had such a big impact on the confidence of the team when playing out from the back. We’ve also seen David De Gea’s shortcomings in that area hold the team back.

“Looking at the stats, Onana outperforms De Gea across passing frequency, passing accuracy, long passes and long passing accuracy. But we can also see that Onana tends to go short more often. In terms of the way Ten Hag is trying to play, with the aim of controlling games, Onana will be the perfect goalkeeper for the Dutchman.

“If the goalkeeper is stuttering over his passes that spreads throughout the team. As we’ve seen with Man Utd over the last season they’ve been pretty fragile at times. They could do with a bit of confidence at the back.”

West Ham interested in McTominay

West Ham are interested in midfielder Scott McTominay, though United have yet to receive any official bids.

The Scotland international has two years left on his contract, with the option of a further 12 months.

Elsewhere, dialogue remains open with Galatasaray over the signing of midfielder Fred, with early suggestions indicating a gap in valuation.

Fulham enquired earlier in the window and remain interested – but not at the current asking price – while clubs from Saudi Arabia are also thought to be keen.

Fred has entered the final year of his contract at Old Trafford.

United will sanction the re-opening of talks with Nottingham Forest over Dean Henderson, but only if they can complete a deal for Onana.

Everton also remain in talks with United over the signing of Anthony Elanga.

United remain in talks with Atalanta over Hojlund

Man Utd’s focus is on Onana for now but they still hope to get a deal done for Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund.

There is a willingness from all parties to get a deal done, with Hojlund keen on the move.

If there are departures in defence and midfield, United will look at their options.

They remain interested in Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat. The Morocco international played under Ten Hag at Utrecht.

Is Hojlund the new Haaland? Man Utd target analysed

Manchester United target Rasmus Hojlund has been compared to Erling Haaland.

With exclusive insight from those who have worked with the Atalanta striker, Adam Bate finds out why the Dane is described as a rock-star footballer and the total package…

Who will be on the move this summer when the transfer window opens on June 14 and closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?

Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.

Romelu Lukaku did not join up with Chelsea for pre-season on Wednesday as originally planned.

The decision for the forward to not link up with the Chelsea squad was mutually agreed by Lukaku and the club.

New manager Mauricio Pochettino previously said he expected all returning players, including Lukaku, to come to his office for an introductory conversation.

All parties agree the right option is for the Belgium striker to move on, with Lukaku favouring a move to Inter Milan despite interest from Saudi Arabia.

Chelsea hope that delaying his return to London will allow the clubs more time to find a solution.

Inter are yet to agree a deal with Chelsea but negotiations are ongoing. Chelsea leave for their US tour on 17 July and hope a deal can be reached before then.

Chelsea start season against Liverpool, live on Sky

Mauricio Pochettino will take charge of Chelsea for the first time when they start the 2023/24 Premier League season at home to Liverpool, live on Sky Sports, on Sunday August 13.

Chelsea then head to London rivals West Ham on August 19 before welcoming newly promoted Luton Town to Stamford Bridge on August 26.

Pochettino, who begins his role with the Blues on July 1, will visit his former club Tottenham on November 4 with the return fixture scheduled for February 24.

Who will be on the move this summer when the transfer window opens on June 14 and closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?

Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News

Juventus have been handed a one-game partial stadium ban after some of the club’s fans directed racist chants at Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku.

The Belgium forward was shown a second yellow card for his celebrations in front of the home fans after converting a stoppage-time penalty to earn Inter a 1-1 draw in Turin in Tuesday night’s Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.

A chaotic end to the Allianz Stadium encounter ensued as scuffles broke out between the two sets of players, resulting in Inter captain Samir Handanovic and Juve midfielder Juan Cuadrado being sent off after the final whistle.

Lukaku was suspended for the second leg of the semi-finals on April 26 by the Italian league judge on Thursday. Handanovic is also banned for one game while Cuadrado is to miss three.

Serie A have decided that the lower tier of Juventus’ South Stand, which holds around 5,000 seats, will be closed for their next home game, against league leaders Napoli on April 23.

Juventus are “collaborating with the police” to identify those responsible for the racist gestures and chants.

In a statement released late on Tuesday, US-based sports agency Roc Nation – which represents Lukaku – demanded Juventus apologise to the striker.

“Tonight’s racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted,” Roc Nation Sports International president Michael Yormark said.

“Before, during, and after the penalty, he was subjected to hostile and disgusting racist abuse. Romelu celebrated in the same manner he has previously celebrated goals. The referee’s response was to award a yellow card to Romelu.

“The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse.”

Lukaku, on loan at Inter from Chelsea, was also the target of offensive chants in 2019, which he condemned in a social media post at the time.

“History repeats… Been through it in 2019.. and 2023 again..,” Lukaku said in a post on Instagram on Wednesday.

“I hope the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone…”

Inter also reiterated their stance against racism and expressed their support for Lukaku.

“We want to firmly reiterate that we stand united against racism and all forms of discrimination,” a statement read.

“Football and sport must not only be a place for emotion but also for clear and shared values, and what we saw last night in the final minutes of the Juventus vs Inter Coppa Italia semi-final in Turin has no place in our sport.

“This is why we reiterate our support, affection and solidarity to Romelu Lukaku, just as the world of football is doing from all over since the incident.

“Stay strong Rom, we stand with you!”

Racism has been a long-running problem in Italian football and authorities have been criticised for not taking strong enough action.

On Wednesday, Serie A put out a statement condemning racism, adding, “Clubs, as they have always done, will identify the guilty individuals and ban them from their respective facilities for life.”

The league did not name Lukaku in their statement.

Juventus are working with police to “identify those responsible” after Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku was racially abused during Tuesday night’s Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.

The Belgium forward was shown a second yellow card for his celebrations in front of the home fans after converting a stoppage-time penalty to earn Inter a 1-1 draw in Turin, with Lukaku then subjected to abuse from the stands.

A chaotic end to the Allianz Stadium encounter ensued as scuffles broke out between both sets of players, resulting in Inter captain Samir Handanovic and Juve midfielder Juan Cuadrado being sent off after the final whistle.

A statement from the Turin club on Wednesday read: “Juventus Football Club, as always, are collaborating with the police to identify those responsible for the racist gestures and chants which took place last night.”

In a statement released late on Tuesday, US based sports agency Roc Nation – which represents Lukaku – demanded Juventus apologise to the striker.

“Tonight’s racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted,” Roc Nation Sports International president Michael Yormark said.

“Before, during, and after the penalty, he was subjected to hostile and disgusting racist abuse. Romelu celebrated in the same manner he has previously celebrated goals. The referee’s response was to award a yellow card to Romelu.

“The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse.”

Lukaku, on loan at Inter from Chelsea, was also the target of offensive chants in 2019, which he condemned in a social media post at the time.

“History repeats… Been through it in 2019.. and 2023 again..,” Lukaku said in a post on Instagram on Wednesday.

“I hope the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone…”

Inter also reiterated their stance against racism and expressed their support for Lukaku.

“We want to firmly reiterate that we stand united against racism and all forms of discrimination,” a statement read.

“Football and sport must not only be a place for emotion but also for clear and shared values, and what we saw last night in the final minutes of the Juventus vs Inter Coppa Italia semi-final in Turin has no place in our sport.

“This is why we reiterate our support, affection and solidarity to Romelu Lukaku, just as the world of football is doing from all over since the incident.

“Stay strong Rom, we stand with you!”

Racism has been a long-running problem in Italian football and authorities have been criticised for not taking strong enough action.

On Wednesday, Serie A put out a statement condemning racism, adding, “Clubs, as they have always done, will identify the guilty individuals and ban them from their respective facilities for life.”

The league did not name Lukaku in their statement.