Manchester United are reportedly on the verge of signing African superstar Andre Onana, however, the club may need to consider everything that comes with the Cameroon goalkeeper!
With former No.1 David de Gea having left Old Trafford after a 12 years at the club, manager Erik ten Hag is in desperate need of a new goalkeeper to fill the role. It is no secret that Onana has been chosen as the man to replace the departed Spanish star, as the Red Devils are now negotiating a deal worth a reported £44 million (R1 billion) with Inter Milan after the player agreed personal terms with the English side.
While the west African appears to be a more than capable replacement for De Gea, the expectations around the 27-year-old may need to be re-evaluated given how his relationship with Ten Hag soured during their time at Ajax Amsterdam. The shot-stopper is also known to have a bit of a contentious temperament, which perhaps needs to be considered given that United have had their large share of bad apples in the squad in recent season.
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Why United want Onana?
According to reports, one of the biggest reasons the Manchester outfit are pursing the Nerazzuri star is because of his ability with his feet, as Ten Hag wants a keeper that can play out from the back - an attribute De Gea evidently lacked. The Dutch boss has enjoyed relative success during his first season in charge, helping the side to their first trophy in six years, while he also led them to an FA Cup final. It is understood that the tactician is now fully focused on implementing his philosophy and he is now hand-picking who he would like in his side, with the signing of Mason Mount from Chelsea said to be in line with how he wants his side to play next season. According to FBRef, Onana ranks in the top percentile for passes attempted among goalkeepers, averaging 35.46 passes per match. This obliterates De Gea's 10.86 attempted passes over the same period.
Things the Red Devils need to consider
However, there's a valid concern that the club shouldn't get too ahead of themselves as Onana's disciplinary record off the pitch is also worth noting. According to De Telegraaf, the Cameroonian's relationship with Ten Hag ended on sour terms after the latter decided to not count on him during Ajax's last few games of the 2021/22 season when the former made several costly errors after his return from a contentious doping ban. He tactician ultimately sent the player on holiday before the season ended and the La Masia graduate would eventually end up leaving the Eredivisie giants on a free contract and joining Inter.
During this fateful period, a section of the Ajax supporter booed the player but his comments after the fact suggested that he was far from being fazed by how he was treated as he responded in X-rated fashion.
"I'm not affected by their boos, I don't care at all. They can sing, cry, and do whatever they want. I don't give a f…," he told ESPN. "I'm not in my best shape right now, that's the truth. I haven't played for long! If they get angry, it's their problem, if they're sad, it's their problem. That's how I became who I am. It's my life, let me write my story."
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he had a dramatic fallout with the Cameroon national team coach Rigobert Song and was later sent home after the first group game as result. It is believed that the two clashed over Onana's persistence to play out from the back the way he wanted, while the Indomitable Lions coach had opposing ideas. More recently, he was involved in a fiery argument with his former colleague at the San Siro, Edin Dzeko, and had to be restrained by another teammate Hakan Calhanoglu.
It's clear that there's a pattern of disciplinary issues, with the player seemingly having a questionable temperament at times. This may be a serious concern for Ten Hag, who is believed to be somewhat of an authoritarian himself. Before the 53-year-old took over the reigns last year, United's dressing room issues spewed out into the public, as it there reports of factions within the group under both Ralf Rangnick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Given that Ten Hag quickly got rid of Cristiano Ronaldo once he started causing issues in his team, it is clear that Onana may need to be on his best behaviour if he wants to come close to reaching the legacy left by De Gea.
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