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Goalkeeper Andre Onana will miss Cameroon’s opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations against Guinea on Monday, having elected to play for Manchester United in their Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur the day before, Reuters understands.
United and the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) have been in discussions over an arrival date in the Ivory Coast for Onana, who had already delayed his travel once to play in the 2-0 FA Cup third round win over Wigan Athletic on Monday.
He will skip Cameroon’s Group C clash with Guinea, but is expected to travel for the Indomitable Lions’ games against Senegal (January 19) and Gambia (January 23).
Onana, 27, had walked out on Cameroon after a row with coach Rigobert Song at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but returned following reconciliation talks between the pair.
However, he was retired from international football when he joined United from Inter Milan in July, and his potential absence for up to four weeks depending on how far Cameroon progress, has come as a blow to the English club.
For that reason Cameroon have been flexible in their approach to the goalkeeper’s arrival and offered him some leeway.
“We’re talking with the Cameroon federation, it was an issue during the talks with Andre when he came in here (in July from Inter Milan),” United manager Erik Ten Hag told reporters last week. “It’s constructive.”
FECAFOOT did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. – Reuters.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter