Revealed: The games Andre Onana will miss for Man Utd after goalkeeper receives 2023 AFCON call up with Cameroon

Onana had previously retired from international duty following a disagreement with Cameroon manager, Rigobert Song during the World Cup in Qatar. But the duo has repaired the cracks in their relationship and the goalkeeper went on to play an important role in the AFCON qualifiers.

Now, the shot-stopper has been named in Cameroon's 27-man squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament which is set to start on January 13.

Onana is likely to miss four Premier League games with Manchester United while honouring his national team duty. Those include a home encounter with Tottenham, Wolves at Molineux, West Ham at Old Trafford and a trip to London to take on Aston Villa.

He could also remain unavailable for United's FA Cup third-round tie away at Wigan which is slated to take place on January 8 if he is required to attend a pre-tournament camp for Cameroon. Moreover, he will also miss a potential fourth round FA Cup tie, scheduled on the weekend of January 27-28, if the Red Devils qualify.

Onana was reportedly willing to pull out of AFCON to protect his starting berth at United after several high-profile errors between the sticks put question marks on his reliability with the gloves. He allegedly fears that he might find himself to be a benchwarmer after coming back from AFCON if Turkish goalkeeper Altay Bayinider can rise to the occasion in his absence.

It is decision time for Onana as he finds himself at the centre of a dilemma after being called up by Song. FIFA's regulations typically require players to "respond affirmatively" to national team call-ups. United, acknowledging the complexity of the situation, have extended their support for Onana in whatever decision he makes and have also been involved in discussions with Cameroon to find an amicable resolution. All said and done, the spotlight is now firmly fixed on the goalkeeper.