A delay in ignition. At the end of an XXL season with Inter Milan both nationally and on the European scene, André Onana aroused the interest of Europe’s biggest names during the last summer transfer window. Top priority for Erik Ten Hag, keen to secure the services of a world-class goalkeeper to succeed David De Gea; At the end of his contract and pushed towards the exit by MU, the Cameroonian international landed in the north of England for just over €50 million. However, the 27-year-old goalkeeper had a rather difficult start with his new training.
Nightmarish debut with the Red Devils…
Far from being blameless on the goals conceded by his team, the native of Nkol Ngok was initially singled out by observers for his reprimands deemed unnecessary towards some of his teammates including Harry Maguire. Subsequently, the Cameroonian showed himself to be more feverish and multiplied the errors of judgment, particularly in the Champions League. Guilty of a big mistake against Bayern Munich (4-3 defeat, September 20), the main player did it again during the 5th day of the group stage by losing his chest against Galatasaray (3-3 draw, 3 October), the fault of a poorly captured ball which transformed into a CSC and which cost his team dearly in the race for qualification.
Far from exuding great serenity on his line, André Onana was only a shadow of himself compared to what he had been able to demonstrate during his stay in Italy. However, there is hope since his return from the African Cup of Nations. Although he is still struggling to keep a clean sheet (11 clean sheets in Manchester colors this season, including 7 in the league), the former Ajax Amsterdam goalkeeper finally seems to have found his cruising speed at image of his performance against West Ham. In a match counting for the 23rd day of the Premier League, the Cameroonian disgusted the Hammers. He also distinguished himself through a magnificent save on a header from Tomas Soucek, which earned him a nomination for the save of the month prize for February in the first division.
André Onana clicked thanks to his teammates!
How can we suddenly explain this change in attitude among the Cameroonian doorman? Is this the fruit of a finally successful adaptation? As such, the man with 38 caps with the Indomitable Lions took stock of his current situation during an interview with Daily Mail. “It was a difficult time for me. Now I feel a little better. I already know the guardian that I am. When I moved from Amsterdam to Milan, this adaptation was quite easy. But it took me seven or eight months here. It was just time to learn and take it game by game. Everything was new here. It was difficult for me to feel at home, for so many reasons, in a new country. It was only a few moments. Sometimes you are faced with a difficult situation, you don’t feel good, you don’t play well, because I didn’t think I started playing well.he declared at first.
At the end of several damning performances which toured Europe, considerably damaging his reputation across the Channel, André Onana gradually returned to his former level by showing himself to be more decisive, all while being more diligent in his relaunches at the foot. A return to form to which his teammates are far from strangers. “My teammates have always reminded me of who I am, the goalkeeper I am and why I came to this club. They told me: André, it took two years for some players, six months for others. The quality is there, it’s just a matter of time. They always believed in me. Everything is behind me, now we have to move on and together a great moment will come.”, expressed the Mancunian, believing that his old demons were now behind him. A good omen for Manchester United who, coming off a defeat against Fulham last weekend (ending a series of five consecutive victories), will need a great André Onana to keep their clean sheet against at Manchester City this Sunday. A favorable result would allow Erik ten Hag’s men to move a little closer to the European places. Defeat is therefore not allowed!
