Manchester United has reached an agreement with the Cameroon national team

According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, Manchester United has reached an agreement with the Cameroon national team regarding Onana's participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.

The report states that Onana can participate in Manchester United's English FA Cup third-round match against Wigan Athletic next Monday, and six days later, they will face Tottenham Hotspur in the 21st round of the Premier League at Old Trafford. Afterward, Onana will immediately travel to Ivory Coast to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations and represent the national team in the opening match against Guinea on January 15.

When Manchester United signed Onana from Inter Milan in July, they were explicitly informed that he had retired from the national team and would not participate in the Africa Cup of Nations. However, he eventually returned to the national team under the persuasion of the Cameroon Football Association and other factors. Manchester United has expressed full respect for his decision, understanding the conflict between his loyalty to the club and the national team, and recognizing the complexity of the situation.

Similarly, the Cameroon Football Association acknowledges that Manchester United did not anticipate losing Onana at a crucial point in the season and is unwilling to let him participate in the Africa Cup of Nations at the expense of his continued performance in the English Premier League. Considering the role played by the Cameroon Football Association in his decision, they hope to collaborate with Manchester United to reach a compromise that maximizes Onana's playing time for both teams.

If the Cameroon team fails to advance from the Africa Cup of Nations group stage, Onana may not miss any of Manchester United's matches. Their last group stage match is against Gambia on January 23, and if Manchester United beats Wigan Athletic, they will have a fourth-round FA Cup match four days later.

If Cameroon successfully advances to the knockout stage, Manchester United's next Premier League match will be against Wolverhampton Wanderers on February 1. After that, they will face West Ham United at home on February 4 and challenge Aston Villa away on February 11—the same day as the Africa Cup of Nations final.