Director says 6ft 3in star linked with Arsenal could leave for free next year, Wenger's a big fan

Reported Arsenal target Andre Onana is unlikely to pen a new contract at Ajax.

Indeed, he could even leave on a free transfer next summer amid links with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.

This is according to Marc Overmars, the Dutch club’s director of football.

Arsenal have been linked with Onana this year, but they’re far from the only team interested.

According to Goal.com, Arsenal look set to have competition from the likes of Inter Milan, Lyon, Borussia Dortmund and Spurs.

A doping ban scuppered any hope of a summer move for Onana, but it has since been reduced on appeal.

The 25-year-old, whose Ajax contract runs out next summer, is now free to play from November.

The Dutch giants are aware they are set to lose the goalkeeper and now target earning a fee from a January sale.

“You can never say never in football [about him renewing his contract],” Overmars told Ajax TV, translated by Goal.com.

“But at the moment I do not see that he extends his contract with us.

“We have been very clear, we have spent a lot of time negotiating to extend his contract, but it did not work.

“We then gave him the space to move during the summer and it did not work either.

“He can leave in January, otherwise he will leave for free next June.”

Arsenal icon Wenger praised Onana in 2019

Onana has gone from strength to strength at Ajax since his arrival from Barca’s academy in 2015.

The 6ft 3in ace is agile, quick off his line, boasts great ability in starting attacks and has solid command of his area.

Indeed, Manuel Neuer praised Onana in 2019, the German icon saying he was the Cameroon international’s “biggest fan” (Goal.com).

In the same year, former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger also praised Onana while covering a Champions League game between Ajax and Spurs.

“I have to compliment their goalkeeper, Andre Onana,” he said on beIN Sports, via football.london.

“He saw that his team had a hard time with high balls from the side and he dared to go far in front of his goal.”

With Bernd Leno’s future still uncertain, what better replacement than a world class keeper available for a bargain fee or even on a Bosman?