Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand would be "delighted" if his former club sign Andre Onana this summer, having spoken with both Edwin van der Sar and Pep Guardiola about how impressive the goalkeeper is.
United are looking to sign a new No.1 this summer after David de Gea's contract expired and Onana has been heavily linked with a switch to Old Trafford. The 27-year-old worked under Ten Hag at Ajax and he would be much better suited to Ten Hag's style of play than De Gea was.
The Red Devils have already had an opening bid rejected by Inter, but Ferdinand expects United will "go for it" despite the ongoing takeover saga having an effect on their transfer business. "Bids are going in, bruv," Ferdinand said on his FIVE YouTube show.
"I think they'll go for it. I think they're gonna go for it, he's someone they want to try and get. But the problem is Inter's pricing. Manchester United haven't got an open cheque book and the takeover won't affect that in this window.
"I spoke to Pep Guardiola in an interview days before the final and he was talking about playing against Onana, there's not many goalkeepers you've got to prepare for! He's almost like another player.
"He comes out, plays on the edge of his box, and he wants to be involved in the build-up, he's a proper footballer. And he's a great shot-stopper, he made a couple of great saves in the final.
"He's a young keeper, I saw him at Ajax before. Edwin van der Sar, I spoke to numerous times about him, before Man United's interest, and he waxed lyrical about him: New-age, a prototype-type goalkeeper. Proper.
"I'd be delighted if he comes, but my priority is a number nine." During their time together at Ajax, Ten Hag branded Onana a "masterful goalkeeper" and, as Ferdinand says, Guardiola was full of praise for him ahead of the Champions League final.
He even went as far as to compare Inter's style of play to United's, stating: "The goalkeeper, Onana, makes it really difficult to deploy a high press against. You cannot press the goalkeeper properly. They are masters at keeping the ball, right up to the attackers – the likes of Lautaro, Dzeko and Lukaku.
"If you look at United, for example, it is long ball. With [Marcus] Rashford and another one [forward] to run onto. But Inter are different, they keep the ball."
