Why would Man Utd want Andre Onana?

There have been weeks of speculation surrounding Manchester United’s goalkeeper search but it looks as if the Red Devils are finally going to land their priority target.

With David de Gea now technically a free agent and a series of cryptic tweets from the Spaniard suggesting that contract negotiations over a new deal are not progressing, it looks more likely than ever that his 12-year Old Trafford career is coming to an end.

Andre Onana is the man the Red Devils have turned to in order to fill De Gea’s gloves, with the Inter goalkeeper having enjoyed a stellar season in Serie A and Europe. Despite having only been at San Siro since last summer, the Cameroonian is set to be on the move already.

Manchester United have submitted a second bid for Onana, having seen the first one rebuffed, but still remain a distance from Inter’s valuation. While there is optimism over the completion of a deal, there is still some way to go before Onana arrives in Manchester.

But why are United so desperate to sign the 27-year-old?

One of the key reasons why Erik ten Hag is keen to add Onana to his squad is due to the goalkeeper’s technical prowess. The stopper is very comfortable with the ball at his feet and is a great distributor – exactly what Ten Hag demands of his man between the sticks.

He attempted just over 36 passes per 90 minutes in Serie A last season, while Dea Gea averaged just over 27 in the Premier League, with Onana also boasting a 10.2% better pass accuracy than his Spanish counterpart.

Onana can more efficiently implement Ten Hag’s passing philosophy at Old Trafford and would make United more press-resistant due to his ability to bypass the first wave of pressure with a long pass into midfield or the forward line. Last season’s Champions League final perfectly exemplified the goalkeeper’s technical talents.

First and foremost, however, Onana is there to keep the ball out of the net, something he does very well indeed. He has kept 104 clean sheets in his senior career at Ajax and Inter, averaging a shutout approximately every two-and-a-half games. Last campaign he boasted a 76.4% save percentage, showcasing his sharp reflexes and strong hands.

His 255 appearances at club level highlight his wealth of experience, especially considering he missed nine months of football after failing a drugs test, while his trophy cabinet points to a proven winner. Onana claimed two titles in his first season in Italy – the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana – and also won six pieces of silverware during his time at Ajax, including three Eredivisie crowns.

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After initially seeing a £38.5m bid rejected for Onana, there seems to be a large discrepancy between what United are offering and Inter’s valuation of the player. The Italian side have always maintained that they would like upwards of £50m for the 34-cap international.

United’s second bid was made up of an upfront fee of £38.5m with £4.3m in potential add-ons and it is believed that Inter are still not content with such an offer. It is acknowledged that a fee of under £50m could now be reached with Inter keen to progress the deal quickly, although the structure of such a transfer may prove pivotal.

Onana is eager to make the move to the Premier League and United are his priority choice despite links with Chelsea some time back. It appears his wishes will be granted imminently.

LISTEN NOW TO 90MIN’S TALKING TRANSFERS PODCAST

On this week’s edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders is joined by Toby Cudworth and Graeme Bailey to discuss Man Utd closing in on Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana, Chelsea’s push for Moises Caicedo, Dusan Vlahovic, Romeo Lavia, the future of Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde & more!

If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!