After a summer of change and transformation at Manchester United 12 months ago, this summer is all about building on the foundations that have already been laid.
United enjoyed a successful maiden campaign under manager Erik ten Hag, securing a top four finish and ending their six-year wait for a trophy. It means the club will have grand ambitions of kicking-on next term, both domestically and in Europe.
To achieve both of those objectives, however, United need to strengthen a handful of key areas within their squad between now and the summer transfer window slamming shut at 11pm on Friday, September 1. Ten Hag has identified the positions that need bolstering and he is now looking to get his transfer business wrapped up as quickly as possible.
However, ongoing uncertainty relating to the takeover situation means that Ten Hag's hopes of getting new signings through the door quickly are fading. While others around them have either made signings or are on the cusp of doing so, the most progress the Reds have made is tabling a second bid for Chelsea ace Mason Mount.
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United have have made signing a new midfielder one of their leading priorities this summer, along with bringing in a goalkeeper and a world-class striker. Securing a new No.9 is understood to be right at the very top of Ten Hag's to-do list.
However, news last week that goalkeeper David de Gea is now increasingly likely to leave Old Trafford when his contract expires next week means that United, suddenly, are planning to recruit a new first choice goalkeeper instead of a back-up option. That means another chunk of Ten Hag's budget is going to have to be invested in a player for the starting line-up.
United have been linked with a flurry of goalkeepers in recent weeks, but none more so than Inter Milan's Andre Onana, who has been established as a frontrunner over the past few days. Ten Hag worked with the Cameroonian at Ajax and it has been claimed that he would like to be reunited with the shot-stopper at Old Trafford.
Onana, who made almost 150 appearances under Ten Hag at the Johan Cruyff Arena, is considered as one of the best in the business and his distribution capabilities make him an ideal fit for the type of goalkeeper United need. He is an excellent passer of the ball and was lavished with praise by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola both before and after the Champions League final earlier this month.
Although nothing is understood to be close concerning United and Onana, 27, at this moment in time, the prospect of him making the switch to Old Trafford this summer is bound to excite the club's supporters. He would be a big-name addition and an ideal replacement for De Gea.
With that said, what shirt number would he wear if he was to join United? Currently, Onana dons No.24 for Inter, which is the number he has worn for almost all of his senior career at club-level. The only time he has not worn the No.24 shirt was when he wore No.1 at Ajax during the 2017/18 season, before switching back to his preferred option the following season.
Currently, nobody wears the No.24 shirt at United, meaning Onana, in the event of him sealing a move to Old Trafford this summer, would be able to scoop it without needing to ask anyone else politely. The No.24 shirt has been vacant at United since Timothy Fosu-Mensah sealed a permanent move to Bayer Leverkusen back in January 2021.
Therefore, in the event of Onana completing a move to Old Trafford, he would have a free run at retaining his favourite shirt number. It has been worn by several household names in the past, including Darren Fletcher and David Beckham.
