Statistics never tell the full story but they can shed light on it. Andre Onana kept eight clean sheets in Inter’s run to the Champions League final and kept out 73.5 per cent of shots that were on target in Serie A.
He was nowhere near the Italian Golden Glove award this season but made fewer mistakes than David de Gea, who won the Premier League equivalent.
Errors against Brentford, West Ham and Sevilla cost United dearly and as a result, Erik ten Hag has refused to confirm him as his No.1 next season. He is now on the hunt for a new ‘keeper and reports are suggesting contact has been made with Onana's agent.
But such interest will not simply be due to his quality with his gloves. The Cameroon star completed 100 per cent of his passes under 15 yards in Serie A last season and 98 per cent of attempts under 30.
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For pass distances over 30 yards (54.7 per cent completion rate), he would rank as the fourth most accurate goalkeeper in the Premier League out of those who have played more than three games. He would be third if it was among those who had played 15 or more.
De Gea barely made mid-table regarding long-distance pass completion. However, context is needed.
Serie A is a slower-paced league with hardly the same urgency to press as seen in the Premier League. Over long-distance passing, Onana ranked third among Serie A goalkeepers who played more than 13 matches.
Furthermore, he was one of a number to keep a 100 per cent short-pass record in the division this season. But statistics never tell the full story.
It’s not necessarily the type of passes Onana makes but when he passes, how, at what stage of the match, who he is passing to, his positioning, his vision. All of those facets are not recorded on a database.
When it comes to choosing goalkeepers who are assured with their feet, Guardiola ought to be listened to. Victor Valdes was ahead of his time at Barcelona, chalking up an 85 per cent pass success rate during the first half of the 2011/12 season.
"The perfect image of this game was that after the goal Victor Valdes continued playing the ball," Guardiola once said after an El Clasico win.
"Real Madrid steam-roller you. Most goalkeepers would boot it. But Victor kept playing the ball. I prefer us to lose the ball like that but give continuity to our play."
He took that philosophy forward with the likes of Manuel Neuer at Bayern Munich and at City with Claudio Bravo before Ederson - who had the best Premier League long-ball pass succession rate for a goalkeeper this season.
And ahead of the Champions League final, Guardiola was praiseful of Onana. He said: "They [Inter] have a real good process, starting from Onana, an exceptional goalkeeper in the build-up – one of the best in the world right now."
Ten Hag - formerly under Guardiola while he managing Bayern’s second side - is also eager to have his goalkeepers play out from the back. He had to compromise in his first year after the disaster-class against Brentford last August laid De Gea's game-reading skills bare.
But going forward, he wants a modern goalkeeper who can use his feet as well as he can use his hands, and thus contribute to the attacking phase. De Gea showed he is not up to that level this season.
Onana, of course, previously worked under Ten Hag at Ajax and perhaps learned a lot of his ball skills with the Dutchman. Guardiola has reminded him what he is currently missing at United.
