Manchester United may have to do something they have never done before with Andre Onana

Manchester United could break with nearly 80 years of tradition if they jettison Andre Onana in the summer. They have not outright sold a number one goalkeeper in the post-war era.

Alex Stepney ended the 1977-78 season as first choice. He posed for the squad photo at Old Trafford in August but had the ignominy of playing second fiddle to Paddy Roche and never played for the club again. Stepney crossed the pond to join Dallas Tornado months later.

That is the closest United have come to offloading a No.1. The most drastic measure was to release David de Gea after 12 years in 2023.

Over a 32-year period, United had an extraordinary run between the posts. Peter Schmeichel for eight years, Edwin van der Sar for six and then De Gea's dozen. The only unstable period were the six years between Schmeichel and Van der Sar and United still won three Premier League titles and the FA Cup. Stepney also spent 12 years at the club. Gary Bailey was there for nine.

Any high-profile goalkeeping sale - Jim Leighton, Mark Bosnich, Fabien Barthez - had long since had their first-team status revoked. Altay Bayindir's sloppy start at Newcastle would indicate Onana is primed to see out the season as No.1.

It makes the Onana quandary so unique. Recruiting a goalkeeper for £47.2million when he was a free agent 12 months earlier set United up for a fall and Onana is in freefall, reeling from just about the worst week of his professional career.

There is a human side to consider. Onana told me last February that "it took me six months or seven months not to play good, just to feel good". Onana's wife, Melanie Kamayou, was the victim of a street robbery last month. Any spouse would be affected by that. Onana often dines at the San Carlo Italian