Manchester United’s pursuit of goalkeeper Andre Onana was the catalyst for the club changing their contract offer to David de Gea, leading to the Spaniard’s departure. When United first showed interest in signing Onana, many believed that it was a signal that De Gea would stay at the club. However, after the FA Cup final, where De Gea made some costly mistakes, United manager Erik ten Hag decided to pursue a new goalkeeper that fit his style.
Onana, who had previously played under Ten Hag at Ajax, impressed United scouts with his performance against Manchester City in the Champions League final. Talks initially began with Onana’s agent, Yalcin Sarica, who had originally been discussing another client, Denzel Dumfries. But when Onana’s availability came up, Ten Hag expressed interest.
Inter Milan was open to selling Onana due to their financial situation, while AC Milan’s Mike Maignan was considered too expensive. As negotiations progressed, United modified their contract offer to De Gea, presenting him with a reduced salary and a shorter contract. De Gea ultimately decided to leave the club.
The pursuit of Onana was not without its hurdles. Talks initially stalled, but gained momentum once Sarica and John Morris, another agent at Wasserman, took control of the process. Ten Hag also met with Onana to discuss the move, and positive discussions were held.
The deal with Inter was not straightforward, with significant differences in valuation. Reporting in the Italian media suggesting Onana’s imminent arrival annoyed United, who felt it was a tactic to pressure them into meeting Inter’s demands. Despite concurrent discussions over other players, United pressed ahead with the pursuit of Onana. The first offer, worth €40 million plus €5 million in add-ons, was made on July 5.
Negotiations continued for another two weeks, with each increment in the bid being assessed by the finance department at United. The club’s financial position, including a recent €300,000 fine from UEFA, added to the pressure to strike a deal. Ultimately, Onana’s arrival at United prompted a change in De Gea’s contract offer, leading to his departure from the club.
