Manchester United are close to reaching a full agreement with Italian giants Inter over a £47million deal for goalkeeper Andre Onana, according to reports.
The Red Devils have been locked in talks with their Serie A counterparts for several weeks, with manager Erik ten Hag desperate to bring in a new number one following David de Gea’s departure.
United had asked the long-serving Spaniard to delay finding a new club after his contract expired in the event they could not agree a deal for Onana, but he ultimately decided to announce his exit last Saturday after 12 years at Old Trafford.
Officials from United have been in Milan for several days negotiating a deal for the 27-year-old and now transfer expert Fabrizio Romano is reporting that the transfer is close to being completed.
After previous offers were rejected – the first of which was worth £41m – United have now submitted a ‘final verbal proposal’ that is expected to be accepted by Inter.
The deal is worth €50m (£42.7m) plus a further €5m (£4.3m) in add-ons and the two clubs are now discussing the structure of those payments.
When that has been agreed, the transfer can be announced with Onana – who played under Ten Hag at Ajax – having already agreed personal terms.
Inter had initially wanted to receive a fee in the region of £51m for the Cameroonian shot-stopper, but United have eventually managed to haggle them down.
Onana is expected to sign a four-year deal plus the option for a fifth – a contract format United have favoured in recent years – and the Red Devils are confident he will be signed in plenty of time to fly with the squad for their pre-season tour of the United States.
Inter boss Simone Inzaghi intimated that the Champions League finalists might not be able to hold onto their goalkeeper – who arrived last summer on a free transfer – and has even outlined what he is looking for in a replacement.