United's Onana Cleared for FA Cup as Ten Hag Explores New Ownership Vision

 United's Onana Cleared for FA Cup as Ten Hag Explores New Ownership Vision

Andre Onana of Manchester United celebrates a goal scored by his team during the UEFA Champions League match between Galatasaray A.S. and Manchester United at Ali Sami Yen Arena on November 29, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey(Image-Getty)

Manchester United's manager, Erik ten Hag, confirmed goalkeeper Andre Onana's availability for their FA Cup third-round match against Wigan Athletic after successful talks to delay his departure for the Africa Cup of Nations. The discussions with the Cameroon federation were constructive, allowing Onana to participate in the match against Wigan on Monday, while Cameroon has a friendly scheduled for Tuesday against Zambia before the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off.

While Ten Hag is uncertain about Onana's availability for the subsequent game against Tottenham Hotspur on January 14, he assured reporters that the goalkeeper would be present for the Wigan clash. Manchester United, currently eighth in the Premier League, faces Tottenham Hotspur on January 14.

Reflecting on the festive period, which included a stunning comeback win against Aston Villa and a subsequent defeat at Nottingham Forest, Ten Hag mentioned a constructive meeting with Jim Ratcliffe, following INEOS group's takeover of Manchester United. Ten Hag emphasized a positive alignment of ideas during the extensive discussions.

Regarding potential changes under the new ownership, Ten Hag expressed the need for patience and letting things settle down. While acknowledging the introduction of good ideas by the new owners, he emphasized the importance of working together to integrate strategies.

Manchester United has triggered contract extensions for players like Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, and Hannibal Mejbri, with ongoing talks involving Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial. Ten Hag mentioned no news on Jadon Sancho's potential loan move to Borussia Dortmund. United, having been eliminated from European competitions and the League Cup, aims to make an impact in the FA Cup, a tournament they have won 12 times, with the last victory in 2016.