Erik ten Hag could be focusing his crosshairs on former Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana in the summer transfer window as Manchester United are on the lookout for a new first-choice goalkeeper.
There’s only about a week left until the expiry of David de Gea’s contract and he is still no closer to signing an extension that would keep him at the club heading into next season.
Hence United are now left with a big decision to make, which could well be impacted by the feedback they get over the likelihood of a summer move for Onana.
The 27-year-old turned in an impressive performance in the recent Champions League final, earning plaudits for his dominating display despite ending up on the losing side. He has earned the plaudit of being one of the leading goalkeepers in football for the last few seasons, and his reent stellar performance in the biggest game in European elite club football was more than ample testimony to his skills and talent.
Granted that Onana might not be on the same level as De Gea as a pure shot-stopper, as in fact very few are. His main forte is his ability to control his box well and has an extensive passing range, while being essentially good at keeping the ball out of the net.
In contrast, De Gea’s brilliance often comes into play in moments of redemption after he has committed an earlier mistake, abut with someone like Onana in goal instead, it is hoped that United would have much more control on matches and therefore have to rely less on their goalkeeper to bail them out.
Clearly Ten Hag would be well aware of Onana’s talents himself as the pair worked together at Ajax, with Onana turning in 145 appearances under the former Ajax gaffer altough their relationship tourned sour when he was dropped for the Dutch Cup final and never played for the club again.
Onana had returned from a nine-month doping ban in November 2021 but didn’t begin playing regularly until well into 2022. He did not extend his contract in Amsterdam and subsequently left on a free transfer in the summer.
In what turned out to be unfortunately his final appearance for the club, he was booed off the pitch by Ajax fans after he had made a costly mistake by conceding a goal. Obviously, as far as the fans were concerned, despite winning the match, they had little sympathy for a player who was clearly looking to leave. Afterwards, goalkeeper was recalcitrant as he admitted he “did not give a s***.”
While Ten Hag might possibly be taken a tad by surprise by Onana’s reaction when he departed Amsterdam, he has a preference to work with players he knows, he will also be well aware of just how good his former goalkeeper is, a fact which far outweighs everything else as far as the United gafffer is concerned at this point in time.
Onana had previously been described by the United manager as ‘masterful’, and ten Hag would deem it well worth the risk to have a master confident about having the ball at his feet between the sticks next season, especially since it’s a player he is well familiar with whom he can depend on.
“When we lose the ball, we must win it back immediately,” Onana told AFP of Ten Hag back in May 2019. “He [ten Hag] is focused on that, he is always telling us that if we have control of the ball, we have the ability to push back any opponent.”
This is particularly relevant to Onana as he has a tendency to leave the box when his side is in possession. Alarming though this might sound, it is in reality a valuable trait for a today’s goalkeeper, making himself available as a passing option and help move teammates higher up the pitch to force opponents back.
Pep Guardiola was quick to point out Onana’s abilities prior to the Champions League final when the City gaffer complimented his style of play as a specific threat to his side in the match.
“For the way they play, with the high press, Onana is an exceptional goalkeeper to take the position to build-up. Really, really good,” he told reporters.
The fact that possession-based, pressing football has been made abundantly important to even the goalkeeper, highlights just how welll he is in alignment with Ten Hag’s expectations of a goalkeeper.
It is becoming a somewhat awkward fact that De Gea is a square peg in a round hole and for United to bridge the chasm to the next stage of their rebuild, the primary focus has to be on the finer details of their game while finetuning a squad of players possessed of the requisite skills so as to be in line with Ten Hag’s vision.
And this begins with having a goalkeeper who mirrors the manager’s vision and needs – criteria Onana certainly meets.