Source: Onana to go late to AFCON, face Spurs

André Onana is set to be available for Manchester United‘s Premier League fixture with Tottenham after reaching an agreement with the Cameroon FA to delay his call-up ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), a source has told ESPN.

Onana has been given permission to remain in Manchester for United’s FA Cup third round tie with Wigan Athletic on Monday and Spurs’ visit to Old Trafford on Jan. 14.

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Cameroon begin their AFCON campaign against Guinea just 24 hours later on Jan. 15. Premier League clubs were given a deadline of Jan. 1 to release their players ahead of the tournament, which begins in Ivory Coast on Jan. 13, but United and Cameroon have come to their own arrangement.

Onana returned to Manchester on Wednesday after spending time in Paris following the 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The Cameroon squad are currently taking part in a warm-up camp in Saudi Arabia, where they are due to play a friendly against Zambia on Jan. 9.

Onana, according to a source, has been keen to limit his time away from United after telling the club during transfer negotiations in the summer that he had retired from international duty.

The goalkeeper quit during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after a disagreement with coach Rigobert Song but but was persuaded to return ahead of the final AFCON qualifier against Burundi in September.

Meanwhile, United’s new minority investor, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, met players and staff at Carrington for the first time on Wednesday.

The INEOS chairman spoke to manager Erik ten Hag and football director John Murtough before a meet and greet with the first-team squad.