The Cameroonian succeeds David de Gea as United’s number one (Picture: Getty)
Manchester United have confirmed the signing of goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan in a deal believed to be worth around £47million.
The Red Devils have been locked in talks with their Italian counterparts for several weeks, with their need for a new number one accelerated by David de Gea’s decision to leave the club.
Onana worked under Erik ten Hag at Ajax and has always been the Dutchman’s top choice, with the Cameroonian a brilliantly composed passer – something his predecessor between the sticks, De Gea, struggled with.
The long-serving Spaniard, whose contract expired at the end of June, was offered an extension on a greatly reduced salary only for United to withdraw their offer at the eleventh hour.
He was asked to delay making a decision on his future in case a deal for Onana could not be struck but confirmed his departure earlier this month, with United then ramping up talks with Inter.
The deal is thought to be worth €50m (£42.7m) plus a further €5m (£4.3m) in add-ons, with Onana putting pen to paper on a five-year deal.
He travelled to the United States on Thursday to join his new teammates for their pre-season tour and could potentially even make his debut against Arsenal at the MetLife Stadium on Saturday.
Onana is a supremely confident passer, regularly leaving his box (Picture: Getty)
‘To join Manchester United is an incredible honour and I have worked hard all my life to get to this moment, overcoming many obstacles along the way,’ Onana said.
‘Walking out at Old Trafford to defend our goal and contribute to the team will be another amazing experience. 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. 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.’
Andre Onana played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax (Getty)
Onana came through Barcelona’s academy before moving to Ajax in 2015, claiming the number one spot in the 2016-17 season – a spot he retained until 2021 when he was handed a 12-month ban for testing positive for the substance Furosemide.
The 27-year-old appealed the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, claiming he had taken his wife’s medicine by mistake, and the ban was reduced to nine months.
He returned to the Ajax starting XI at the backend of the 2021-22 season before joining Inter on a free transfer the following summer, enjoying a superb campaign last season as the Nerazzurri reached the final of the Champions League.
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A sweeper-keeper and nerveless passer with incredible range, Onana contributes massively to his team’s build-up play and can even be seen prowling close to the half-way line.
He averaged 38 passes per game in Serie A last season – 33% more than De Gea averaged for United – while his 26 touches outside the box against Switzerland in last year’s World Cup is the most by any goalkeeper since records began in 1966.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola actually picked out Onana as Inter’s danger man before the Champions League final, saying: ‘For the way they play, with the high press, Onana is an exceptional goalkeeper to take the position to build-up. Really, really good.’
Ten Hag will be hoping Onana can bring a new dynamic to United’s play, while the club can now press ahead with a move for a new number nine – with Atalanta youngster Rasmus Hojlund their top target.
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The Cameroonian succeeds David de Gea as United’s number one.
