Everything you need to know about new Man United goalkeeper Andre Onana

Manchester United have signed goalkeeper Andrew Onan from Inter Milan for a payment of round €50 million ($56.1m). David De Gea‘s 12-year spell at Previous Trafford got here to an finish earlier this month when he opted to depart on a free switch, however how will the 27-year-old Onana fare as a substitute?

ESPN brings you all you want to know in regards to the former Cameroon worldwide.

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Early profession and data

Onana was noticed taking part in on the streets of Cameroon’s capital metropolis Yaounde by a member of the Samuel Eto’o Basis — the charity arrange by the nation’s all-time high scorer and former Barcelona and Inter Milan ahead. He was signed by Barcelona at age 14 and performed within the Blaugrana‘s La Masia youth academy, the place he grew to become the No. 1 goalkeeper at his age group.

Growing his technical and bodily expertise throughout his time in Catalonia, the 6-foot-2 stopper grew to become comfy with the ball at his toes — taking part in out from the again and transitioning play nicely — to develop into a standout at under-19 degree. However with a need for normal first-team soccer, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen a fixture between the posts for the senior facet, he determined to make the swap to Ajax in 2015, making his debut in 2016-17 season.

At Ajax he met supervisor Erik ten Hag, who arrived on the Johan Cruijff Enviornment in 2017. Together with his years at La Masia behind him, the Cameroon star proved to be an ideal match for Ten Hag’s possession-based type of play. In whole, he made 214 appearances and picked up a hat trick of Eredivisie titles, in addition to two Dutch cups, whereas he helped information Ajax to the semifinals of the Champions League in 2019.

A nine-month ban for a doping violationwhich Onana mentioned was right down to unintentionally taking a medication meant for his girlfriend, noticed his profession stall in 2021. However he returned to motion in November and helped Cameroon to a third-placed end on the Africa Cup of Nations on house soil.

He opted to not prolong his Ajax contract and signed for Inter on a free switch in the summertime of 2022, however controversy was not distant once more as he quit international football in December after being despatched house from the World Cup in Qatar after a disagreement over tactics.

Onana established himself as among the best goalkeepers in Europe and shone within the 2022-23 Champions League, serving to Inter to the ultimate the place they narrowly misplaced out 1-0 to Manchester City. He conceded solely 36 objectives in 41 video games at Inter, conserving 19 clear sheets.

Key Stats

Last season’s league stats point out that Onana is a transparent improve on De Gea when it comes to build-up play. The 27-year-old averaged 27.1 passes in his personal half, in comparison with De Gea’s 17.1. He was additionally extra correct along with his passing with a 79.17% completion price towards De Gea’s 68.33%.

Onana had a barely higher save proportion (72.09%) than De Gea (70.14%), however the Spaniard did face 58 extra pictures.

When in comparison with some high Premier League goalkeepers, the information exhibits that Onana additionally had a greater save proportion than each Liverpool‘s Alisson (71.52%) and Manchester Metropolis’s Ederson (58.97%). Onana confronted an identical variety of pictures (85) to Ederson (78) and made 62 saves, in comparison with his 46; whereas Alisson made 108 saves from 149 pictures to sum up Liverpool’s poor season.

Onana’s passing wasn’t fairly as correct as Alisson (83.37%) or Ederson (84.40%), however he did present an higher tendency to play the ball ahead (17.8 instances per 90 minutes, in comparison with 14.8 and 13.9 respectively) — a trait that ought to swimsuit the type of his new group nicely.

Strengths

Manchester United will profit instantly from Onana’s buildup play. Ten Hag hasn’t at all times been capable of deploy the system he has needed to since arriving at Previous Trafford, however the acquisition of Onana ought to have an identical affect to when he signed one other of his former Ajax gamers for United: centre-back Lisandro Martinez.

Onana is a transparent improve on De Gea with the ball at his toes, however can be extra succesful underneath stress and might discover his manner out of bother by forcing attackers off steadiness with fast turns earlier than distributing the ball.

He excels at making reflex saves and has spectacular reactions. He protects his close to put up nicely and is usually dependable in stopping pictures from contained in the field.

Some goalkeepers are a lot much less comfy when compelled onto their weaker foot, however United followers should not to see that with Onana. He’s succesful with each toes when passing and clearing the ball.

Areas to enhance

At 27, Onana is but to succeed in his prime as a goalkeeper however must deal higher with lengthy pictures. Typically, extra consistency is required and whereas Onana is commonly fast to come back off his line, he can generally be hesitant along with his decision-making when the attacker will get to the ball first in one-vs.-one conditions.

How will he match at Manchester United?

De Gea performed a key position at United since arriving from Atletico Madrid for round €25m in 2011, but it surely was very important that the membership discovered a goalkeeper who fitted the core ideas of Ten Hag’s tactical system. Regardless of his excessive degree of skill at stopping pictures, De Gea wasn’t on the required degree with the ball at his toes and made too many errors.

The addition of Onana was Man United’s No. 1 precedence this summer time and he may help the membership take the following step.

More proficient at coping with the opposition’s press along with his passing and dribbling skill, his consistency in transitioning the ball ahead at a better success price means Manchester United will get pleasure from a higher variety of assaults throughout a recreation. He also needs to take little time to settle underneath Ten Hag, having loved their time collectively at Ajax.

All issues thought of, it appears a wonderful transfer for United, who’ve locked down their No. 1 spot for the foreseeable future.