Andre Onana’s relationship with Ruben Amorim had “broken down” beyond repair before the Manchester United goalkeeper agreed a season-long loan to Trabzonspor, according to an explosive report.
A new ‘bomb squad’ member
INEOS has been focused on transferring every member of the ‘bomb squad’ at Old Trafford – a collection of five players, which includes Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia, who have no future at the club under Amorim.
These surplus players were required to train separately from the first-team squad and were excluded from the pre-season tour of the United States, while the club sought potential exits.
As the summer transfer window closed on September 1, only Malacia remains. Antony and Garnacho departed on permanent transfers to Real Betis and Chelsea, while Rashford and Sancho secured loan agreements with Barcelona and Aston Villa.
However, in a surprising development, Onana can now be included in this volatile group, as the Cameroon international has shown a “lack of involvement and interest in working for the team in the final days before the international break,” according to inside sources reported by The Sun.
The report indicates that Onana went so far as to “effectively refuse to even acknowledge [Amorim] in training” following the Portuguese coach’s choice to favor Altay Bayindir for the season’s start.
A source familiar with the training environment claims “it felt like Andre was merely present but lacked any team spirit or engagement.”
Amorim’s Ruthless Reaction
Amorim has exhibited a harsh demeanor when addressing players he deems to have underperformed since his arrival at Old Trafford last November.
According to The Sun, the former Sporting manager was left “deeply unimpressed” by the physical condition Onana presented upon reporting to pre-season training.
“Amorim had already facilitated the departures of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, and Anthony, with left-back Tyrell Malacia also rumored to be moving to Turkey.
“It is understood that Onana’s relationship with Amorim has deteriorated irreparably over the past few weeks. The manager believes that Onana’s departure has eliminated the last lingering negative influence from the training ground, enabling him to fully engage with the new squad at his disposal.
“Amorim was particularly displeased with the hamstring injury sustained by his intended first-choice goalkeeper at the onset of pre-season training, especially after learning that he had been playing on a dangerously muddy pitch in his home country prior to returning to England.”
Onana was also reportedly eager to negotiate new contract terms during the summer, as he was dissatisfied with the reduction in his Champions League-related contract; a challenging position to navigate considering the significant role his errors have played in preventing United from competing in Europe’s elite tournament since his arrival.
Naturally, Amorim was not pleased with his goalkeeper’s attitude – and the groundwork for Onana’s departure had been laid.
The signing of Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp on deadline day provided further reassurance to the 40-year-old coach that his issues with Onana would not hinder the team’s performance.
These concerns would have likely reached a critical point following the 29-year-old goalkeeper’s lackluster performances in training, particularly given Amorim’s zero-tolerance policy towards players who do not fully commit to the team.
It is hardly surprising, therefore, that Onana’s exit from Old Trafford occurred a week after reports of his poor attitude at Carrington, with a loan transfer to Turkish club Trabzonspor on the horizon.
Despite the English transfer window having shut, Amorim added one more member to his ‘bomb squad’ – and he wasted no time in sanctioning an explosive exit for the unwanted star; one not even Onana could ignore.
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