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Manchester United fans looking for news on Andre Onana’s move from Inter Milan have been strung along all week with promises that the deal will be done “tomorrow”.
It will come as no surprise, then, that the same is true today, with Gazzetta dello Sport claiming that “tomorrow” marks “the announcement of the transfer to United.”
But there is something different about the outlet’s handling of the today, in that they clearly seem to consider the deal has been done, so there is nothing more to report besides the fact that it will be announced soon.
Gazzetta’s claim is just one line, embedded in an article on Inter’s search for a striker after they pulled out of a deal to sign Romelu Lukaku.
Corriere dello Sport are more circumspect, beating the same drum that has been accompanying the situation for over a week.
“The sale of Onana has to be closed,” they say in today’s paper edition (page 8).
“For a couple of days now, the distances with Manchester United have been minimal: in short, it’s just a question of filing down the figures and defining the last details.
“Barring surprises, it’s now a matter of hours, so today or more likely tomorrow the white smoke will arrive, with the Cameroonian number one flying to England.
“In the meantime, however, the goalkeeper continues to train at the Pinetina, without any type of exemption.”
CdS also mention that the fee is likely to be €52-€53 million plus bonuses. This differs from the claim of another Italian journalist, Alfredo Pedulla, who said yesterday that the deal was being closed for a figure between €48 and €50 million.
Just to be clear: yesterday, Pedulla said tomorrow, which would mean today, whereas GdS today said tomorrow, meaning tomorrow, whereas CdS said today or tomorrow, today. Got it?
The English press have been unusually silent on the whole Onana transfer saga. The odd report has emerged once movement has been confirmed by the likes of Fabrizio Romano or Gianluca Di Marzio. But other than that, it seems that they are unable to offer much information.
The Italian media are arguably normally even less reliable than the British press, but it is fair to say that Gazzetta and Pedulla in particular seem to have been spot on most of the time in this case, which can give us a little hope that this time, finally, the white smoke will appear tomorrow at the latest.
