EPL: Chelsea drop out of race to sign Andre Onana

Chelsea has ended their pursuit of Inter Milan goalkeeper, Andre Onana, and will now look towards three alternative options.

The London-based club is searching for a goalkeeper to compete with Kepa Arrizabalaga, with Edouard Mendy set to leave the club in the summer.

Chelsea will now move on to other targets, leaving Manchester United as favourites to sign Andre Onana who is expected to cost around £50 million.

Evening Standard reported that Tottenham-linked Brentford goalie David Raya is one name on the shortlist.  Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel and Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili are also on the list.

Andre Onana started his youth career in his homeland before graduating from Barcelona’s famed La Masia setup. But he rose to prominence during his seven-and-a-half-year stint with Ajax. The period also included a controversial doping ban, which left him on the sidelines for nine months. Meanwhile, his spell with Ajax ended last summer, with the 27-year-old leaving as a free agent.

The Cameroonian international joined Inter Milan in a Bosman move but took some time to get going. But Onana has not looked back since usurping Samir Handanovic as the first-choice shot-stopper. And he kept 19 clean sheets in 41 games for Inter Milan this past season. But Inter’s perilous financial situation has left them in a spot of bother while alerting suitors like Chelsea and Manchester United.

Chelsea dropping out of the race means Manchester United are in a better position to sign the goalkeeper.

Recent reports suggested David de Gea would sign a new contract with Manchester United. But the latest updates have claimed that the Spaniard will depart from Old Trafford as a free agent. So Manchester United will need a top-class replacement.

This would signal a reunion between the Cameroon stopper and Erik ten Hag, with the pair previously working together at Ajax.