Manchester United have confirmed the signing of goalkeeper Andre Onana from Italian side Inter Milan. The Cameroonian international has joined on a deal worth €51m (£43.8m) plus €4m (£3.4m) in potential add-ons. He has signed a five-year deal with the club.
The 27-year-old was an integral part of Inter Milan’s charge to the final of the Champions League last season. The shot-stopper has played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax in the past and was eager to move to Old Trafford to rejoin the Dutchman.
Andre Onana comes into the squad as a direct replacement for David de Gea. The Spaniard announced his departure from the club after a twelve-year span. De Gea left as a free agent after failing to reach an agreement over a new deal with the club.
Player Career
Andre Onana came through the ranks of the famed FC Barcelona academy. He was signed by Ajax in January 2015 and began in the junior team for the Dutch side. Until 2016, he turned out 39 times for Jong Ajax in the Jupiter League, maintaining 4 clean sheets (stats via Transfermarkt).
The Cameroonian shot-stopper made his first team debut in 2016. Since then, he has been the first-choice goalkeeper for his team. He was a part of the famous 2018-19 Ajax side that reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. The keeper featured in all 12 games, as the Dutch side knocked out Real Madrid and Juventus, before falling short against Tottenham Hotspur.
In 8 seasons, the 27-year-old played 189 times for the Eredivisie club, maintaining 72 clean sheets (stats via fbref). In 2021, he received a year-long ban for a positive doping test result. He pleaded that he accidentally took pills prescribed for his girlfriend, and ultimately had the ban trimmed down to nine months.
After returning to action, Andre Onana joined Inter Milan in 2022. He signed a five-year-long deal after joining as a free agent. He quickly established his credentials, playing 41 games in all competitions and maintaining 19 clean sheets in the 2022-23 season. Inter won the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana. The Nezzuari also reached the final of the Champions League but lost to Manchester City.
Andre Onana has turned out 34 times for the National team. He has featured in the 2019 and 2021 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. he also played one game in the 2022 World Cup but inadvertently retired midway through the tournament after a disagreement with the coach.
How Does Andre Onana Improve Man United?
Erik ten Hag’s teams have always been associated with good build-up play and an intent to keep the possession of the ball. This was inhibited during the 2022-23 season, at least in part, due to David de Gea’s limitations with the ball at his feet.
In stark contrast, the Cameroonian is one of the best distributors in the world. He possesses an excellent passing range and displays excellent composure under pressure. In fact, he virtually functions as an extra centre-back when his team has the ball.
That’s his name 👇@AndreyOnana is United! 🔴#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 20, 2023
The 27-year-old is also a commanding presence from the back. He does his part to help out the defence by claiming crosses or leaving his line to thwart dangerous attacks. As required of any goalkeeper, Andre Onana is also a superb shot-stopper. He has great reflexes and positioning on his line. He registered an impressive 73.5% save rate in the Serie A last season.
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Manchester United have made a quality investment to replace the reliable David de Gea with Andre Onana. The Red Devils also ensured that they did not overspend on the signing, saving funds for key signings in other positions too.
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