Sir Jim Ratcliffe warned Andre Onana about his overpaid contract months ago, and now, it will be Andre Onana who pays the price.
Since arriving at Man United, Andre Onana hasn't had it easy. The Cameroonian goalkeeper arrived as one of the most exciting goalkeepers in the world, and he had big gloves to fill after David de Gea's mistreatment. To say he didn't fill even half of those gloves would be a sheer understatement.
Look, Andre Onana's failure at Man United wasn't through a lack of effort. Fans could tell he cared about the club and he was his own harshest critic when things went wrong. However, the club cannot afford to be sympathetic; the mistakes came in their hundreds, it seemed.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe name-dropped Andre Onana in criticism
More than three months ago now, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Man United's co-owner, criticised some of the Man United squad as being "not good enough and overpaid." It was a sentiment which many fans agreed with, and Andre Onana was even name-dropped, alongside Antony, Casemiro, Jadon Sancho and Rasmus Hojlund.
In his own words, Ratcliffe said: “If you look at the players we are buying this summer, that we didn’t buy, we’re buying Antony, we’re buying Casemiro, we’re buying Onana, we’re buying Højlund, we’re buying Sancho. These are all things from the past, whether we like it or not, we’ve inherited those things and have to sort that out..."
"...Some are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mould the squad that we are fully responsible for, and accountable for, will take time."
Man United is now preparing for life without Andre Onana
Well, Sir Jim Ratcliffe highlighted the accountability he felt, and the responsibility he owned for making the situation right. In Onana's case, it looks like Man United is now preparing for life without him.
According to various reports, Man United are now looking for a new goalkeeper. Man United have highlighted several names in neon ink, including Emiliano Martinez and Lucas Chevalier. Other reports include Diogo Costa of FC Porto.
No matter which avenue Man United takes, it doesn't look good for Andre Onana. It doesn't take a genius to recognise Man United is preparing for life without him.
And it's hardly surprising, either. Playing for a club like Man United, you're afforded only a few mistakes. If anything, Onana surpassed that allowed threshold a long time ago.