What Manchester United Keeper Leaving Says About Club Problems | OneFootball

Onana’s Old Trafford Struggles Highlight Man Utd Goalkeeper Problems

From bold signing to uncertain exit

When Manchester United sanctioned the £43.9m move for Andre Onana in 2023, the plan appeared clear. After more than a decade of relying on David de Gea’s reflexes, United wanted a goalkeeper capable of transforming how the team played. Onana had proven at Ajax and Inter that he could be more than a shot-stopper: he could orchestrate possession, dictate tempo and act as an additional playmaker.

Two years on, the narrative has shifted dramatically. Onana has agreed to join Trabzonspor on loan, and what was meant to be a tactical revolution has instead exposed the fragility of Manchester United’s structure and the complexities of their goalkeeper problems.

System demands and tactical contrasts

Onana has always been a specialist. At Ajax, Erik ten Hag’s defined system gave him the confidence to take risks with distribution, knowing that team-mates would anticipate his passes. At Inter, Simone Inzaghi’s disciplined back three provided balance and composure, allowing Onana’s bold positioning and passing range to flourish.

In Manchester, that clarity never arrived. Injuries disrupted the defence, midfield control was patchy, and pressing from the front line was often inconsistent. Onana’s game, reliant on rhythm and conviction, could not thrive in such volatility. A goalkeeper who once turned pressure into progression instead appeared unsettled, forced to react to chaos rather than shape it.

High-profile mistakes and fragile confidence

His struggles were visible almost immediately. A pre-season lob against Lens highlighted the risks of his adventurous positioning. In his debut season, errors against Wolves and Bayern Munich fed into doubts, while the Champions League trip to Galatasaray exposed his most fragile moment in a United shirt. Poor distribution and soft goals amplified criticism, leaving him visibly shaken.

There were periods of recovery. A string of strong displays through early 2024 suggested a turning point, but inconsistency resurfaced before the year ended. Misjudgements, lapses in handling and erratic distribution chipped away at trust. By spring, a public exchange with Nemanja Matic and costly mistakes in the Europa League quarter-final against Lyon deepened the sense that his position was untenable.

Onana’s technical foundation, including his trademark wide-legged stance, became a double-edged sword. At his best, it allowed lightning reactions to low shots; when confidence dipped, the technique faltered and left him exposed.

Man Utd’s ongoing goalkeeper dilemma

United had not planned to pursue another goalkeeper this summer, but Onana’s recent mistake against Grimsby Town in the League Cup proved decisive. Letting a shot slip past him at his near post crystallised the sense that this project had run its course.

His departure underlines the broader issue: United’s goalkeeper problems are not merely about individual errors but about an environment that lacks stability. Onana’s qualities remain clear, but they depend on structure. In a different United, with a settled defence and coherent midfield, he may well have succeeded. Instead, his time at Old Trafford will be remembered as a story of misalignment — a talented goalkeeper whose strengths were never fully supported.

With Senne Lammens now signed, United must hope they have found a solution to the instability that undermined Onana. For the Cameroonian, his loan in Turkey offers the chance to rebuild confidence in an environment more suited to his style. For United, the search for lasting stability between the posts continues.