According to the latest from talkSPORT transfers correspondent Alex Crook, the Cameroonian international is due a contractual pay increase due to the team finishing in the Premier League's top five, and as a result, qualifying for next season's Champions League.
Onana, widely regarded an Old Trafford flop following an error-strewn stint in the Premier League, is currently spending the season away on loan after losing his place in the starting XI.
However, despite his career in Manchester effectively reaching a dead end, a pre-agreed clause in his contract is expected to kick in this July, boosting his earnings.
Manchester United players in line for 25% pay bump
This development is not ideal for the Manchester United hierarchy. The club are keen to sell Onana permanently to raise funds for new arrivals, but the impending pay increase makes him harder to move.
Very few clubs in Europe are able to match his current wages, let alone an inflated salary. The player would be well within his contractual rights to be reluctant about moving elsewhere if it involves taking a significant pay cut to facilitate a transfer.
Onana’s Manchester United career has been defined by high-profile errors and a lack of consistency.
After arriving with a reputation as a world-class ball-playing goalkeeper, he appeared to struggle under the pressure of the English game. Costly blunders in both European and domestic fixtures saw him lose the confidence of the fans and the coaching staff alike, eventually leading to his loan exit.
Under Michael Carrick, Man United have looked more defensively solid, exhibiting a more disciplined approach with current custodian Senne Lammens not likely to be ousted.
While the team’s performances have stabilised and improved under the former Old Trafford midfielder, the financial burden of the Onana deal continues to be a cross the club must bear.
As the summer window approaches, Man United must decide whether to subsidise a move just to get the 'keeper off the books or risk keeping a high-earning, unwanted player at Carrington. Onana is valued at €12 million by Transfermarkt and is contracted to the Manchester club until the summer of 2028.
