Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana is currently missing from EA Sports' FIFA 21 video game, but there's a very clear reason why.
Dutch shot-stopper Onana has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal, with Goal reporting that Arsenal are interested in the 25-year-old, with their interest dating back to January 2020, following their sale of Emiliano Martinez to Aston Villa in the summer of 2019.
And with the future of Bernd Leno the subject of some speculation, rumours suggest that the Gunners could move for the former Barcelona goalkeeper in the summer.
When FIFA 21 was launched back in October 2020, Onana was one of the highest-rated goalkeepers on the game, with the Dutchman given an overall rating of 84 out of 100, with a potential rating of 88 out of 100.
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To put his rating into context, only goalkeepers of the level of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Samir Handanovic, Ederson, Thibaut Courtois, Alisson, Jan Oblak and Manuel Neuer were rated more highly than Onana.
However, as of February 18, 2021, Onana has been missing from FIFA 21, with the 25-year-old removed from the popular game following a squad update.
The goalkeeper's FIFA 21 Ultimate Team card still exists and is available on the transfer market, but the price of his item is very inflated, which indicates that his item has been removed from packs.
And, there's an obvious reason why.
After failing a doping test in October 2020, Onana was suspended by UEFA from all football activities at both national and international level, with the suspension effective as of February 5, 2021.
The out-of-competition test found Furosemide in Onana's urine, but his club Ajax later claimed that the 25-year-old took it "unwittingly" after feeling unwell, with Onana stating that he accidentally took the medicine that was meant for his wife and that it was "the result of human mistake".
The Dutch Association of Professional Footballers (VVCS) have also called the ban “disproportionate” and “incomprehensible”.
But according to Goal, the player's lawyers believe the ban could be reduced to eight months, which could open up the possibility of a summer move to Arsenal. If the ban isn't reduced, Onana won't be able to play for any domestic club or national team until February 5, 2022.
FIFA 21 is out now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, with FIFA 21 next-gen also now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
Additionally, fans who jump into FIFA 21 can also benefit from Dual Entitlement, enabling them to upgrade their copy of the game from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5, or Xbox One to Xbox Series X/S at no extra cost.
