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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Richard Fay

Erik ten Hag has already explained what he expects from Andre Onana at Manchester United

It might not be long before Manchester United announce their second signing of the summer transfer window.

Fresh off the back of completing a deal for Mason Mount earlier this week, work is well under way as they look to follow up his arrival with the addition of Andre Onana.

United accelerated plans to sign a goalkeeper after David de Gea's poor end to the season, and while the club continue to discuss fresh terms with him, it is quite clear that signing another first-choice option is the preference.

Onana might not be the pure shot-stopper that the Spaniard forged a reputation for being, though despite brief moments of brilliance, there can be no ignoring the fact De Gea has been dwindling in recent years.

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The 32-year-old has embodied United as a club in recent years. A player capable of moments of brilliance but with fundamental recurring issues that weren't being addressed.

It was easy to get carried away whenever he produced a stunning save, but even those were becoming less frequent, and they were often moments of redemption after an early mistake led to the chance in the first place.

Ten Hag needs a goalkeeper perfectly alligned with his philosophy if he is to take United to the next stage of the rebuild, and Onana is a far better fit for his style of play than De Gea.

It was only back in April that Ten Hag outlined what he wanted from a goalkeeper, and although the quote was weighted to show his faith in De Gea at the time, it is clear he wanted someone comfortable with the ball at their feet.

"Stopping goals is the main job for a goalkeeper," he reiterated. "Everyone has their own particular style.

"Nowadays, in possession, it has become more and more important at the top levels. But at the end of the day, it is about stopping goals; shots; crosses; one-on-ones."

Ten Hag even went on to label De Gea a 'complete goalkeeper', but the only thing complete was how completely wide of the mark his comment was and his clear attempt to raise confidence ahead of a crucial part of the season.

There is no point trying to change the narrative on the Spanish 'keeper and United fans are well aware of what he does poorly just as much as they are of what he does well.

For a long period of time, his world-class shot-stopping ability and lightning-quick reflexes were worth the awkwardness with the ball at his feet and his hesitancy to come for crosses.

It is clear to see why Ten Hag wants Onana (Squawka)

But as the years have gone by, those reflexes have begun to blunt; the saves aren't as frequent, the mistakes are more frequent, and everyone has become aware of his ongoing demise.

He is still capable of moments of magic, but it is only in moments now, and United need a goalkeeper who can perform more consistently to the high standards required.

Onana might not be the pure shot-stopper that De Gea was at his peak, but he is still very good at keeping the ball out of his net. Instead, he excels mostly as a goalkeeper who commands his box well and has an extensive passing range.

With the 27-year-old in goal, it is hoped United will have much more control over matches and therefore have to rely less on their goalkeeper to bail them out anyway.

In particular, Onana shines as a 'keeper who is brave with the ball, one who has a tendency to leave the box when his side is in possession, almost acting as an extra centre-back at times.

This not only gives United another player present to receive the ball at the base, but it also means they can push higher up when he has possession and push their opponents back.

Of course, there are also a few moments of mayhem. There are shades of Fabien Barthez with his high-risk, high-reward approach, which can sometimes backfire with calamitous consequences.

That is perhaps the price United must pay if they want to revolutionise their goalkeeping department, and Onana has certainly proven that he is a player worth taking the gamble on.

If they want the reward, they have to be prepared to take the risk.

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