Manchester United’s staggering investment: Spending up to $100,000 on André Onana’s AFCON 2023 Journey
Manchester United spared no expense in facilitating the travel arrangements for Cameroonian goalkeeper André Onana during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
According to “The Athletic”, the cost of the flight with a company called VistaJet ranged between $12,000 and $20,000 per hour in the air.
The final cost depended on the type of membership and the selected aircraft. With a journey lasting about eight hours, United paid a minimum of $100,000 (approximately £79,000) to ensure Onana’s presence in Côte d’Ivoire before the start of Cameroon’s campaign in the AFCON.
André Onana made headlines upon his arrival in Côte d’Ivoire for the tournament. Despite being called up to the national team, the goalkeeper kept Cameroon’s coach, Rigobert Song, waiting until the day of their first group stage match.
On that day in Abidjan, he arrived when the match was scheduled to kick off at 5 PM.
Upon reaching Abidjan, Onana faced difficulties reaching Yamoussoukro, the intended venue for the match, due to adverse weather conditions.
When he eventually arrived in Yamoussoukro, he was surprised to find his name missing from the team sheet. Photos circulated on social media depicting André Onana engaged in conversation with El Hadji Diouf.
Reports suggest that Onana became upset, requiring the intervention of the Senegalese legend Diouf to calm him down.
Despite the financial investment, André Onana did not feature in the opening match of the AFCON 2023.
