Manchester United has finalized a remarkable £47.2million deal to acquire the services of Andre Onana, the talented goalkeeper from Inter Milan. The 27-year-old Cameroonian has signed a five-year contract, with the possibility of a 12-month extension.
The transfer agreement involves an initial payment of £43.8m, along with potential add-ons worth £3.4m. Andre Onana, who previously played for Ajax, is set to join the United squad on their pre-season tour in the United States.
In his own words, he expressed his feelings about joining Manchester United, “To join Manchester United is an incredible honour,” he said. “I have worked hard all my life to get to this moment, overcoming many obstacles along the way.”
Andre Onana will be replacing David de Gea as United’s first-choice goalkeeper. De Gea, who spent 12 years at the club, left in July after his contract expired. Excited about the new challenge, Onana added, “Walking out at Old Trafford to defend our goal and contribute to the team will be another amazing experience,” Onana added. “This is the start of a new journey for me, with new teammates and new ambitions to fight for. Manchester United has a long history of incredible goalkeepers, and I will now give everything to create my own legacy in the coming years.”
Onana previously played under the management of Erik Ten Hag during his seven-and-a-half-year stint at Ajax, where he won three league titles. However, he faced a nine-month ban in 2021 due to a doping violation. After joining Inter on a free transfer in July 2022, Onana played a crucial role in helping the Italians reach the Champions League final last season, although they lost 1-0 to Manchester City, the Premier League champions.
“I am excited by the opportunity to work again with Erik ten Hag, and I can’t wait to play my part in the success I know he is determined to deliver at this great football club,” Onana expressed.
His remarkable performances were evident through his eight clean sheets in 24 Serie A games as Inter secured a third-place finish. Moreover, he kept an impressive 13 clean sheets in the Champions League last season, the highest number among all goalkeepers. Overall, he boasts a total of 104 clean sheets in 255 club appearances.
Just before the official announcement of his move to Manchester United, Onana bid farewell to Inter on social media, stating, “I don’t know if I was the best, but I always gave my best.”
United’s football director, John Murtough, spoke highly of their new signing, stating, “Andre was our top choice to become Manchester United’s new goalkeeper, possessing the perfect blend of technical skills and personality. Having achieved success throughout his career, we believe Andre will further enhance the winning mentality within our squad. At the age of 27, he is already one of the world’s best goalkeepers, and we firmly believe that he has even more potential to develop in the coming years.”
Andre Onana retired from international football in December following a dispute with Cameroon coach Rigobert Song during the World Cup.
Andre Onana Transfer Signals New Direction – Ten Hag
Manchester United’s manager, Erik Ten Hag, has shed light on the rationale behind the club’s recent acquisition of goalkeeper, Andre Onana. The Cameroonian shot-stopper has joined the Red Devils from Internazionale, the finalists of the Champions League, reuniting with his former Dutch boss from their time together at Ajax.
As the team gears up for their upcoming pre-season match against Arsenal in New Jersey, Ten Hag engaged in a conversation with the club’s media, sharing insights about his newly acquired goalkeeper.
In a comprehensive discussion, Erik emphasized that Onana’s diverse skill set and strong personality were decisive factors that led to the pursuit of his transfer.
“Most important, always for a keeper, is clean sheets and he (Andre Onana) is not doing that on his own,” began the manager. “Therefore, you need a very good defensive organisation, [it’s] quite clear. But also the capabilities of a keeper is [about] keeping the goal clean. So this is the first criterion of a good goalkeeper.
“But, nowadays, football also demands good playing from the back, out-playing qualities, and that is a quality Andre has. You need both and you need to cover both areas. So yeah, we’re happy, of course.
“I think with his physical presence and also with his personality, he is so keen on winning. He’s so, so eager to win trophies and he will help the team and he will help the squad to get to higher levels.”
Interestingly, during his Ajax days, Andre Onana also played alongside left-sided United centre-back Lisandro Martinez. Ten Hag believes that this existing connection between Onana and the back four will not only enhance the team’s ball-playing abilities but also contribute significantly to their defensive organization, thereby adding a fresh dimension to the Reds’ playing style.
“Did he have a good relationship with Martinez at Ajax? Yeah, of course. With the centre-half, it’s very important, that communication. That is always very important. It’s about the co-operation, the team. The keeper with his back four, the keeper with his whole team. It has to be connected.
“So you need the social and communication skills to get that on the highest level, on the level with the demand and the standards are very high in the Premier League and especially with Manchester United.”