Manchester United are in talks with Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana and are currently in pole position to bring him to the Premier League – but this could spell the end of David de Gea's time at Old Trafford.
What’s the latest on Andre Onana to Manchester United?
A new update on United’s pursuit of the shot-stopper has emerged, with Football Insider claiming the Red Devils are now the frontrunners to sign Onana during the transfer window.
A fee of around £50m will be enough to secure his signature as the uncertainty surrounding the future of De Gea rumbles on. The £375k-per-week star is out of contract at the end of this month and a new deal is yet to be signed off by Erik ten Hag.
Could Andre Onana replace David de Gea at Manchester United?
The Spaniard won the Golden Glove award for the 2022/23 Premier League season having kept 16 clean sheets – the second time he had claimed the award.
Despite this, he made a few high-profile errors, most notably against West Ham United, where he fumbled a weak Said Benrahma shot that resulted in a goal for the Hammers. This ended up being his fourth error that led to a goal – the joint-most of any player in the league, alongside Hugo Lloris.
He arguably should have done better during their defeat in the FA Cup final to Manchester City, as he failed to stop Ilkay Gundogan's shot from the edge of the area in the 2-1 loss, and a move for Onana could spell bad news for the United No 1.
The Cameroonian enjoyed a stellar year for Inter, especially in the Champions League, as his performances allowed the club to reach their first final since 2010, narrowly losing to City.
Across 13 matches in the competition, Onana averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.41/10, while conceding just 0.8 goals per game and managing to keep eight clean sheets, demonstrating his shot-stopping abilities well.
The ‘keeper ranks in the top 11% for touches per 90 (43.81) across Europe’s big five leagues and ranks in the top 10% for passes attempted per 90 (35.46), suggesting he is extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet and regularly plays passes, and he could certainly fit in well with Ten Hag’s philosophy of playing out from the back.
His ability was even lauded by Pep Guardiola, who claimed that Onana was “exceptional with his feet” before the Champions League final, proving just how highly regarded he is.
It would be a wonderful signing for United and he could play an integral role in the side next season as Ten Hag chases more silverware next term.
