Could David de Gea actually rejoin Man Utd as a free agent?

David de Gea's summer departure from Manchester United had been on the cards for a long, long time.

The Spaniard had been in lengthy negotiations with the Red Devils about extending his 12-year stay at the club, but it became apparent that De Gea's days as United's number one were somewhat numbered.

Concerns over his distribution, as well as some high-profile handling errors, saw gossip columns rife with speculation over Erik ten Hag's desire to source a replacement. Those rumours proved to be well founded, with Andre Onana, a former disciple of the Dutchman's at Ajax, heading to the north west after just a single season at Inter.

Onana's start at Old Trafford has been shaky — he made mistakes against Bayern Munich, Galatasaray and Brentford — but the 27-year-old may have hit a turning point after an injury-time penalty save against Copenhagen in the Champions League.

Typically, with a potential upturn in fortunes around the corner, Onana may be out of United's side. He had announced his retirement from international duty with Cameroon, but reversed that decision after joining United — something that could leave a sour taste in the mouth when the Africa Cup of Nations gets underway.

Onana's possible departure for AFCON wasn't something United had really planned for when completing his signing. The multi-time Premier League winners thought they would have their number one goalkeeper around for what's usually a pivotal time in the season, with the fixtures coming thick and fast post-Christmas.

A recent report suggested Onana would stay in Manchester to focus on improving his form, but the opportunity to represent his country in African football's most prestigiuous international tournament may prove too tempting a prospect.

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