Onana Loan Extended
Manchester United Extends Andre Onana Loan to Trabzonspor Through 2026, Retaining Ownership
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Key Points
1
Original loan arrangement carried no loan fee and included no purchase option; extension was finalized after Trabzonspor met Onana's financial demands, keeping him in Turkey through June 30, 2026.
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Fabrizio Romano claimed a verbal agreement for Onana's loan to Trabzonspor, with reports that Trabzonspor would pay a loan fee to Manchester United as negotiations continued.
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Senne Lammens has emerged as United’s preferred long-term option at goalkeeper, with reports highlighting his standalone impact and a nod to him being named Premier League Transfer of the Season for his performances.
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Trabzonspor recently parted ways with club icon Ugurcan Cakir, making Onana a central piece of their plans and reinforcing the importance of keeping him as first choice.
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Angus Gunn, who was released by Nottingham Forest, is being considered as a potential long-term backup option for United if Onana does not return to the club.
Manchester United have agreed to extend Andre Onana's loan at Trabzonspor through June 30, 2026, effectively keeping the Cameroonian goalkeeper in Turkey for a second straight season. The New York Times reported the deal is a straight loan with no purchase option, leaving United's ownership of Onana — under contract at Old Trafford until 2028 — fully intact.
The extension follows a Turkish Cup victory for Trabzonspor in May 2026, a campaign in which Onana was a key figure. At Old Trafford, Senne Lammens has made the number one shirt his own, leaving no path back for Onana under head coach Michael Carrick.
Lammens Shuts the Door on Onana's Return
United signed Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp for £18 million on August 30, 2025. Lammens made 32 Premier League appearances in the 2025-26 season. He prevented 6.39 more expected goals than any other keeper in the division, according to Sky Sports. On June 1, 2026, the Premier League officially named him Transfer of the Season.
Carrick has made clear he has "no intention" of reintegrating Onana, according to Mirror. With Lammens firmly established, United chose a second loan over a permanent sale. Onana's £120,000-per-week salary made finding a buyer difficult. A loan keeps Trabzonspor covering his wages while United avoids the loss of a £47.2 million asset.
Trabzonspor Lost a Legend, Then Found a Replacement
The loan story starts with a departure. On September 2, 2025, Galatasaray signed Trabzonspor icon Ugurcan Cakir for €36 million. The move shocked fans in Trabzon and left the club without their first-choice keeper. Trabzonspor turned to United and secured Onana's first loan just days later, with no loan fee and no purchase option, according to ManUtd.com.
Onana made 30 appearances for Trabzonspor in his first season. He helped the club win the Turkish Cup in May 2026 over Konyaspor. Club president Ertugrul Dogan had publicly promised fans he would keep Onana. The Sun reported the extension was agreed after Trabzonspor met Onana's financial demands, with Turkey's flat 20% tax rate cited as a key draw for the player.
Romano Confirms Deal as Loan Fee Changes the Terms
Transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano announced a verbal agreement for the extension, with a key difference from year one: Trabzonspor will now pay United a loan fee. The original 2025 deal cost the Turkish club nothing up front. Turkish reporter Yunus Emre Sel confirmed Onana had accepted Trabzonspor's financial offer, according to Mirror.
The New York Times described the setup as a "straight loan without an option to buy." Goal.com compared the strategy to the Jadon Sancho situation — a series of loans designed to protect a player's resale value while waiting for a permanent buyer to emerge, potentially in 2027 or 2028.
United Eyes Angus Gunn as Cut-Price Backup Option
With Onana heading back to Turkey, United's Director of Football Jason Wilcox is now looking for a cheap backup for Lammens. Mirror reported that Angus Gunn, recently released by Nottingham Forest, is a target. Karl Darlow of Leeds United is also being considered. Both would cost a fraction of Onana's £120,000-per-week wage.
Gunn started for Scotland at the 2026 World Cup against Brazil and Morocco, giving him recent top-level experience. United want a reliable, low-cost option who fits Carrick's preference for "clarity and calm" between the posts. The Onana era at Old Trafford, for now, looks finished in all but contract status.
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