"World-class" £34m star prefers to join Man Utd, Red Devils have kept in touch with his reps - report

Manchester United could pursue a new goalkeeper during the summer transfer window.

The Red Devils had a disappointing 2024/25 season in the Premier League, as they picked up just 42 points.

Andre Onana was inconsistent between the sticks and was responsible for five errors leading to goals in all competitions.

The Athletic now claim that United have kept in touch with Emiliano Martinez’s representatives since the start of the year.

The Aston Villa goalkeeper would prefer a move to Old Trafford but believes any pursuit depends on Onana’s future.

As things stand, Onana is planning to stay, and there is little movement by United to sell him.

United could stick with Onana next campaign

The Cameroon international signed for the Red Devils from Italian giants Inter Milan for £47.2 million in the summer of 2023.

Onana was considered as an upgrade on David de Gea at the time, but he has not been consistent over a prolonged period.

While he has caught the eye with his distribution, Onana’s shot-stopping has been problematic.

He had a save success rate of only 67 percent in the league last season, and was reluctant to make high claims from set-pieces.

Martinez has also been error-prone for Villa over the past year, but he is better at commanding the box.

Still, a transfer appears highly unlikely at the moment.

Villa want between £30-34 million to part ways with the World Cup winner, who has been described as ‘world-class‘ by iNews.

It represents a huge outlay for a shot-stopper who will turn 33 in September.

Meanwhile, Onana was on the radar of Saudi Pro League clubs earlier this year, but no formal bids have been on the table.

Unless United receive a sizeable bid of £30m plus for Onana from the Middle East, we don’t anticipate them moving for Martinez.

There is a good possibility that Onana will remain the first-choice goalkeeper as he shares a warm relationship with manager Ruben Amorim.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .