The turbulent tenure of Andre Onana at Manchester United continues to be dissected, with former Red Devils goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar offering a unique perspective on the Cameroonian’s struggles. Van der Sar, who enjoyed a decorated career at Old Trafford, believes Onana’s difficulties stemmed not from a lack of talent, but from a pervasive instability within the club.
Speaking on The Overlap, Van der Sar recounted his experience working with Onana during their time together at Ajax. “I worked with Andre Onana for three or four years at Ajax. He came in as a third-choice goalkeeper and was very eager to step up and become the first choice,” he said. He emphasized Onana’s inherent abilities, stating, “I thought, and I still think, that he has tremendous qualities – reflections and his feet – but somehow, he has the odd mistake in him that makes you think ‘That’s crazy, how can he do that’.”
Onana arrived at Manchester United in with considerable expectations, tasked with replacing the long-serving David de Gea. His signing, for a reported £47 million ($63m), was intended to usher in a new era of progressive goalkeeping, characterized by composure on the ball and sharp reflexes. However, his time at the club was quickly marred by high-profile errors, drawing criticism from fans and pundits alike. His debut against Lens saw him lobbed from the halfway line, a moment that foreshadowed the challenges to come.
Van der Sar’s analysis centers on the lack of a stable environment at United, a factor he believes significantly impacted Onana’s performance. “A team wants stability, to know what your goalkeeper is doing so the back four can relate and I think that’s what happened [the issue] with André,” he explained. He pointed to a period of constant change at the club, citing frequent managerial shifts, defensive reshuffles, and evolving tactical approaches as key contributors to the problem.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, Manchester United has experienced a revolving door of managers, failing to establish a consistent identity on the pitch. This instability, according to Van der Sar, created a difficult environment for new players to integrate and perform at their best. “Manchester United haven’t had stability for the last six or seven years – the back four changing, the centre-halves and midfielders changing, coaches changing – so, it’s difficult for new players to come into an environment where the expectations are high, not only for goalkeepers but also for a winger or midfielder,” he stated.
The situation deteriorated to the point where former United midfielder Nemanja Matic publicly criticized Onana, labeling him “the worst goalkeeper in Man United’s history” prior to a Europa League quarter-final tie against Lyon. Onana’s final appearance for the club was a particularly low point, marked by errors leading to goals in a Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town. Shortly thereafter, he was loaned to Turkish side Trabzonspor.
Even in Turkey, Onana’s form has been inconsistent, leading to questions about his long-term future. He was even dropped from the Cameroon squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, further highlighting his struggles.
Despite these setbacks, Van der Sar remains convinced of Onana’s underlying talent. “I absolutely thought that he [André] would succeed when he first came here. As I said, I worked with him and saw him at Ajax, he did well in Italy and played in a Champions League final, so I thought it was a match made in heaven,” Van der Sar said. However, he reiterates that even a player with Onana’s capabilities requires a supportive and stable environment to thrive.
Van der Sar’s comments offer a compelling counter-narrative to the widespread criticism leveled at Onana, shifting the focus from individual errors to the systemic issues within Manchester United. His perspective, informed by both his playing experience at the club and his professional relationship with Onana, suggests that the goalkeeper’s struggles were a symptom of a larger problem – a lack of continuity and stability that has plagued United for nearly a decade. The Dutchman’s assessment underscores the importance of a cohesive team structure and a clear tactical identity in allowing players to reach their full potential, a lesson Manchester United appears to be learning the hard way.
The broader implication of Van der Sar’s analysis extends beyond Onana’s individual case. He suggests that a pattern of underperformance among recent United signings is directly linked to the club’s instability. “A lot of players who have come here in the last eight or nine years have not reached the level that people expected them to reach,” he noted, implying that the club’s turbulent environment has consistently hindered the integration and success of new recruits.