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Man Utd 'identify Andre Onana January cover' who has scored in Champions League
Man Utd are reportedly readying a replacement for goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Manchester United are reportedly prepared to launch a bid for goalkeeper Ivan Provedel to cover for Andre Onana’s absence. Onana has finally flown to represent Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations after being granted permission to feature in last week’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham.
Provedel has reportedly been identified as a potential addition by the Old Trafford hierarchy, Italian publication Quotidiana Sportivo claim. The 29-year-old has shone for Lazio and hit headlines earlier in the campaign when he scored a dramatic equaliser against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
United head coach Erik ten Hag has relied on Onana since his summer arrival from Inter Milan. The former Ajax goalkeeper has been ever-present across all competitions, but United will now be without him for several weeks with the AFCON final falling on February 11.
No 2 shot-stopper Altay Bayindir was also signed from Fenerbahce ahead of this season but is yet to make his debut. Reportedly not entirely convinced by Bayindir’s ability to deputise for Onana, Ten Hag is supposedly targeting a new replacement.
The experienced Provedel has featured in all 20 Serie A matches this season and was ever-present in the Champions League as Lazio qualified from Group E, with the Italian scoring a memorable late goal in the opening round of matches.
Remarkably, it was the second goal of his career.
United are set to launch a bid for Provedel, the report claims. It is unclear whether it will be a permanent arrangement or whether the former Chievo, Empoli and Spezia player will join on loan until the end of the season to cover for Onana’s absence.
There may even be the chance that Provedel will compete with the 27-year-old for the No 1 shirt. Onana has been criticised this season due to a spate of errors that have cost United points, although he appears to have the strong backing of Ten Hag.
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United will focus on cheaper deals this month to remain in line with Financial Fair Play regulations. A near-£200m summer spending spree has limited what the Old Trafford hierarchy can put towards transfers in the January transfer window.
Ten Hag’s squad is in major need of upgrades despite the big-money summer arrivals of Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund. A disappointing start to the Premier League season sees United in seventh and quickly falling further away from the Champions League qualification spots.
But any major business will need to wait until the summer. By that point, prospective investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe could finally be in place, with the INEOS chief and British billionaire soon to find out whether he has been given the all-clear by the Premier League to join the board of directors.