Barcelona and Inter Milan are reportedly vying for the signature of 25-year-old Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana, who is set to leave Ajax as a free agent.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, Barcelona are facing stiff competition from Inter Milan in pursuit of Andre Onana. The 25-year-old former La Masia ace is set to leave Ajax as a free agent next summer.
Andre Onana first arrived in Europe by joining Barcelona’s famed academy, La Masia, in 2010. After spending five years in the Catalan club’s youth setup, the Cameroonian goalkeeping ace joined Ajax in January 2015. And since making his debut for the Dutch giants in the 2016/17 season, he has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe.
To date, Onana has made 204 appearances for Ajax, keeping 83 clean sheets in the process. But 2021 has been a turbulent year for the 25-year-old, who is currently serving a ban after testing positive for Furosemide, a banned substance. The suspension has been reduced from twelve months to nine, meaning he will return to action soon.
However, Ajax are resigned to losing Onana as a free agent in next summer’s transfer window, with the player uninterested in signing a new deal once his current contract expires in June. Such a situation has piqued the interest of Barcelona and Inter Milan.
Barcelona appear to be in need of signing a goalkeeper because Neto is certain to depart Camp Nou next summer in search of regular first-team opportunities. While Inaki Pena and Arnau Tenas are rated highly by the Catalan club, both goalkeepers are likely to be sent out on loan to gain valuable first-team experience before staking claim to be the first-choice goalkeeper.
With Marc-Andre ter Stegen suffering a major dip in form recently, signing someone like Onana would be a step in the right direction for Barcelona. On the other hand, Inter Milan need to sign a long-term successor for Samir Handanovic, who, at 37, is in the twilight of his career.
To that end, the Nerazzurri have been linked with several goalkeepers of late, including Arsenal shot-stopper Bernd Leno. And Onana is also a viable target, although recent reports have claimed that the 25-year-old would be open to rejoining Barcelona.
The report suggests that Inter Milan are accelerating their efforts to sign Onana to avoid competition from rival suitors like Barcelona. So, it remains to be seen if the Serie A champions can quickly reach an agreement with the 25-year-old over a move or if they face defeat from Barcelona in his pursuit.
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