Manchester United’s interest in Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana is “very serious”, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Writing in his Caught Offside Substack column, the Italian journalist said that the Red Devils have made enquiries about the Cameroon international but no offer has been formally submitted yet:

“[My] Understanding is their interest is now very concrete. Let’s see if they will bid in the next few days, contacts are taking place and United are very serious about it, but it depends also on David de Gea. Erik ten Hag has been a big fan of Onana for some time, but Inter want €50/55m (£43.2m/£47.5m) plus add-ons, so it’s not an easy deal. If De Gea leaves, Onana is one of the top options for United, but it’s not advanced yet… Chelsea have also been linked with Onana in the past, but, for now, their plan is different.”

As Romano says, it appears that United won’t face competition from Chelsea for the keeper, which is good news, but the finances of the deal make things complicated.

De Gea’s future seems to be a crucial factor in whether United pursue Onana

With David De Gea’s current deal expiring on Friday, it seems increasingly likely that the Red Devils will need a new number one in very short order.

It has been reported that the Spaniard had agreed a contract extension but United have not signed off on the deal, with some even suggesting that ten Hag was the one who ultimately decided that he didn’t want to keep the 32-year-old around.

The club’s transfer budget will take a hit if they sign Onana

From the sound of things, United were not planning on recruiting a new goalkeeper this summer and, if they spend the best part of £50m bringing in Onana from Inter, it could have ramifications for the team’s other transfer plans.

The budget for the summer window is reportedly around £120m, and the vast majority of that budget could be spent on Onana and Mason Mount, if the club also sign the Chelsea midfielder. It means the club’s search for a new No. 9 may rely on players being sold.