In one of the clearest signs yet of the overhaul manager Erik ten Hag intends, Manchester United will begin the coming season with a new man between the sticks.
For the past 12 years, David de Gea has been the Reds’ first-choice goalkeeper, but the Spaniard has departed, taking 545 club appearances, 190 clean sheets and the 2022-23 golden glove award with him.
But when United host Wolves on 14 August, the player in the home side’s number one shirt will be £47m Andre Onana.
Trophies, bans and bust-ups
On the surface, Onana arrives with the right kind of profile for a club of United’s stature and aims.
At 27 years old, he is entering his prime years as a goalkeeper, he has international experience, including at major tournaments, and has spent much of his career representing clubs with trophy aspirations both domestically and Europe.
His early years were spent at the Samuel Eto’o Academy in his homeland of Cameroon before his clear promise earned him a move to Barcelona’s youth set-up as a 14-year-old.
Six subsequent seasons at Ajax in the Netherlands from 2016 yielded five major bits of silverware, including three Eredivisie titles, while his one season at Inter brought the Coppa Italia, a third-place finish in Serie A and a Champions League final appearance.
During the Nerazzurri’s run in the latter, Onana was key, producing superb displays against Barcelona, Porto, Benfica and AC Milan en route to defeat by Manchester City in Istanbul.
There are some potential red flags in his biography, though.
In February 2021, he was banned for 12 months by Uefa after he was found to have the banned substance furosemide in his urine after an ‘out of competition’ check.
After an appeal, in which he explained that he had accidentally taken a pill containing the substance after mistaking his wife’s medicine for aspirin, the suspension was reduced to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Last November, he was suspended by Cameroon before leaving their World Cup squad in Qatar, with coach Rigobert Song stating that Onana had refused to play in their second group game. He retired from international football shortly after, having won 34 caps for the Indomitable Lions.
And then there are the two flare-ups with Inter team-mates in 2023 – an on-field verbal spat with Edin Dzeko during a Champions League tie with Porto in February and a training-ground bust up with Marcelo Brozovic in April. The keeper downplayed both afterwards.
That United are spending such a sizable sum to recruit him speaks to confidence in his character and ability, no doubt vouched for by a manager who knows his qualities as well as any.
Ten Hag was his boss for five of the six seasons he spent at Ajax (including the two impacted by his doping ban) during which the Dutch side sought to play proactively and progressively out from the back with a high defensive live.
It is Ten Hag’s desire to replicate this at United that led to De Gea’s departure and Onana’s big-money arrival.
‘A modern keeper… with the technique of an outfield player’
It surprised some when De Gea announced he would be leaving Manchester United this summer following several months during which a renewal of the Spain international’s contract was the source of much speculation.
Signed for £18.8m from Atletico Madrid in 2011, De Gea had periods of difficulty during his 12 years at Old Trafford – and won fewer trophies than predecessors such as Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar – but had a record comparable to if not better than most of his peers.
However, the writing was on the wall for his United career for those observant enough to notice.
After an FA Cup final defeat by Manchester City, during which De Gea played more wayward passes (18) than any other player on the pitch, when Ten Hag was asked about his goalkeeper he replied: “There are occasions in the game, issues in the game, we have to improve.”
Ten Hag’s solution has been a root and branch approach, pulling out the incumbent and planting another with a greater capacity to bloom in its place.
Having seen Onana at close quarters last season for Inter, Italian football journalist Alessandro Schiavone is clear about the qualities the player can bring to aid United’s development under Ten Hag.
“There’s also so much more to him than just his ability on the line and reflex saves,” Schiavone told BBC Sport.
“He’s a modern keeper, formed in the heralded Ajax ‘lab’ where a goalkeeper won’t make it to the top unless he has the technique of an outfield player.
“And there’s a consensus that Onana’s accuracy on the ball, outstanding passing range and dribbling ability are second to none, including [Manchester City’s Brazil keeper] Ederson.
“He’s commanding, can use his left and right foot equally well and he’s so comfortable on the ball, which helps his team progress up the field. That also means that he can drag the opposition’s centre-forward out, leading to his side attacking with a man up.
“Moreover, he patrols the 18-yard box, makes his presence felt on set-pieces, has good judgement on aerial balls and has an innate ability to launch quick counters when he catches the ball.”
| Onana | De Gea | |
| Starts (sub) | 41 | 58 |
| Clean sheets % | 46.3 | 43.1 |
| Goals conceded per 90 mins | 0.87 | 1.05 |
| Save % | 77.8 | 73.5 |
| Pass completion % | 80 | 72.6 |
| Long pass completion % | 54.9 | 44.8 |
| Progressive distance ball is carried per 90 (in yards) | 90.3 | 54.4 |
| Touches in middle third of pitch per 90 | 0.51 | 0.12 |
The above table gives a flavour of the qualities Onana brings, shown through a comparison of his playing statistics with those of De Gea from their appearances in all competitions in 2022-23.
“A born leader, Andre Onana will be an important asset for Manchester United between the sticks and in the dressing room,” said BBC Africa’s Victoire Eyoum.
“His skills with the ball at his feet, his serenity when facing pressure and excellent reading of the game need no further proof, but one of his biggest strengths is probably his confidence in his own abilities and of his team-mates.
“He doesn’t seem to be afraid of anyone and he seems to always believe that they can beat any team and are capable of the impossible.”
‘Nothing affects him… he won’t let his mentor down’
Throughout his time at Manchester United, Ten Hag has spoken about how players at the club need to possess the right personality and mentality within a “culture of high standards and values”.
The Dutchman clearly sees Onana as a good fit for this.
“He definitely won’t be fazed by the pressure that comes with playing for a giant like Manchester United, the heaviest domestic shirt in English football,” said Schiavone.
“You need exceptional talent, a cool head and a strong personality and impressively, the Cameroonian ticks all those boxes with flying colours.
“Let’s not forget that Onana bounced back from a 12-month doping suspension when at Ajax by going on to dislodge a Serie A legend like Samir Handanovic in Inter’s goal and spearheading the Nerazzurri’s European push with a flurry of world-class displays. This is testament to his mental strength, nothing affects him.”
And what of those less savoury career moments?
“Goalkeepers have calmed down these days but Onana’s eccentricity, arrogance and temper are reminiscent of 90s legends Oliver Kahn, Jose Luis Chilavert and Schmeichel himself,” added Schiavone.
“With a history of high-profile fallouts, there are no doubts that he comes with a baggage. But that’s a good thing, his character and strong self-confidence will rub off on everybody at United. All things considered, he’s a Ten Hag signing and as such he’ll not let his mentor down.”
