It has been close to two months since Andre Onana completed his lucrative move to Manchester United, but while he enjoyed a brilliant stint at Inter Milan last season, the jury seems to still be out on whether or not he can elevate the Red Devils in the same way.
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Once the 2022/23 season concluded, it seemed that Erik ten Hag was leaning towards renewing club legend David de Gea's contract as it was approaching its end. However, in a matter of weeks, the situation changed drastically and the Spaniard, following a Premier League Golden Glove-winning campaign, bid farewell to Old Trafford after 12 years.
Just as quickly as news of the Madrid's native departure came to light, rumours of Onana's potential arrival arose. It may have taken longer than some United supporters would've liked, but ultimately the Dutch tactician got his man, and the Cameroonian was brought in as the Mancunians' No. 1 for the foreseeable future.
Tactical fit
De Gea's quality as a shot-stopper has never been in doubt. The 32-year-old religiously pulled off world-class saves for United, and it is because of that he was able to win four club Player of the Season awards during his time in Manchester. What was concerning, however, was his discomfort with playing out from the back and often, especially in the previous season, it was his own errors that led to him having to make the aforementioned world-class saves.
Onana is the complete antithesis of this. A graduate of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, stating that the 27-year-old is comfortable with the ball at his feet is an understatement. In his early days as a United player, he has been able illustrate just how good he is with his feet, pinging balls to whomever is open wherever on the pitch, switching play with ease, stepping up all the way near the halfway line, and ultimately allowing the rest of the team to play much higher up the pitch. Sides are even reluctant to press the shot-stopper because they worry that he can be the catalyst for an attack.
His integration into the team has drastically altered the composition of how the team plays and because of it, a lot of the time in early parts of the campaign, the record Premier League champions have looked awkward when building up their attacks. Fans, unfortunately, think professional football is like the EAFC video game and that once you bring in a better player, the team's performances just automatically get better. Time to bed in and become familiar as teammates, especially in a competitive environment, often isn't accounted for. Ten Hag knows the player very well, though, having worked with him at Ajax Amsterdam, and judging by how all his other signings have worked out so far, it is perhaps only a matter of time before there's more cohesion to the way United play through the lines.
Personality fit
To play the way the Nkol Ngok native plays requires a tremendous amount of confidence, and judging by his demeanour on the pitch, as well as the way he addresses the media, that is not an attribute the west African is short of. During his Premier League debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers, the ex-Inter Milan goalkeeper clattered into Wolves forward Sasa Kalajdzic late in the encounter, but a penalty was not given, and just by the way he spoke when quizzed about the collision after the match, the self-assurance he talked with was enough for one to suggest he is not fazed by much.
"Goalkeepers make decisions, sometimes you are right, sometimes you are not," he told Sky Sports at the time. "I made a decision and I am responsible for everything. For me, it was contact between two big guys. I was calm and nothing happened. I was very calm and confident it would not be a penalty."
Now, one can look at this incident, his row with Harry Maguire in pre-season, his on-pitch confrontation with Edin Dzeko during his Nerazzurri days, and his premature national team retirement during the 2022 FIFA World Cup as attributes of somebody who may be a bit too rash for somebody playing for United. However, one could also perceive it as somebody with a strong character, something United perhaps have not had much of ever since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.
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Big clubs need players who will be brave in big moments, and Onana is a player that seems to ooze conviction in his ability. Because of that, there is a very high possibility that he will succeed with the three-time European champions.
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