Andre Onana has been brutally told that his "time is up" at Manchester United after two inconsistent seasons between the sticks. Amid the uncertainty surrounding Onana's future, Ruben Amorim has been urged to target former Red Devils shot-stopper David De Gea, who returned to Old Trafford with Fiorentina for a pre-season clash last weekend.
De Gea receives emotional Old Trafford farewellFans turn on Onana after costly mistakesCalls grow for a new United goalkeeperFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
In 2022-23, De Gea played a pivotal role in securing a third-place finish in the Premier League for Man Utd and their run to glory in the Carabao Cup. He was still at the top of his game statistically, yet United let his contract run down, and he spent the next year out of the game before joining Fiorentina. On Saturday, the United faithful finally had the chance to say goodbye to De Gea, who was replaced in the Old Trafford net by Onana.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
When United shelled out £47 million ($63m) to bring in the Cameroon international from Inter Milan, the move was sold as an upgrade, with Onana seen as a modern keeper who could play out from the back and revolutionise their build-up play. Instead, his two campaigns have been littered with high-profile errors, sloppy shot-stopping, and moments that have left fans questioning why a club icon was so hastily discarded.
WHAT JANSEN SAID
In an interview with , former Premier League striker Matt Jansen summed up the growing sentiment in uncompromising fashion: "They [United] won’t succeed until they change the goalkeeper, in my opinion. They were trying to go for Emiliano Martinez at Aston Villa, he’d be an improvement. Honestly, you could name half a dozen keepers who would be better than Onana.
"He hasn’t done well. Maybe even David de Gea could come back and still do a job. But it’s clear they need to make a change at the goalkeeper position, it hasn’t worked with Onana, and his time is up. They never should’ve let De Gea go. That was a strange decision, and they’ve paid the price for it."
DID YOU KNOW?
It’s no secret that United have been weighing up alternative No.1s this summer. World Cup winner Martinez reportedly remains a target, while PSG star Gianluigi Donnarumma is also understood to be on the recruitment shortlist. The speculation intensified when Onana picked up a hamstring injury during pre-season, briefly sidelining him and leaving United scrambling to cover the position. However, it has been suggested that the Red Devils will pause their pursuit of a new 'keeper unless they are able to find a lucrative suitor for Onana.