Manchester United are on the lookout for a new first-choice goalkeeper, and Erik ten Hag might know just the man.
It is now only a week until David de Gea's contract expires, and he is still no closer to signing an extension that would keep him at the club heading into next season.
With seven days left before he becomes a free agent, United have a big decision to make. It could well depend on the feedback they get over the likelihood of a summer move for Andre Onana.
The 27-year-old impressed in the recent Champions League final, earning plaudits for his dominating display even though he ended up on the losing side.
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Onana has been recognised as one of the leading goalkeepers in football for the last few seasons, and his performance in the biggest game in club football was another reminder of just how good he is.
He might not be on the same level as De Gea as a pure shot-stopper, but very few are. While he is still primarily good at keeping the ball out of the net, he excels mostly as a goalkeeper who commands his box well and has an extensive passing range.
De Gea often shows his brilliance in moments of redemption when an earlier mistake has occurred, and with someone like Onana in goal instead, there is a belief that United would have much more control on matches and therefore have to rely less on their goalkeeper to bail them out.
Ten Hag will be well aware of his talents himself. The pair worked together at Ajax, where Onana made 145 appearances under the current United boss, though it did turn sour when he was dropped for the Dutch Cup final and never played for the club again.
Onana had returned from a nine-month doping ban in November 2021 but didn't begin playing regularly until well into 2022. Then it became clear he would not be extending his contract in Amsterdam and would leave on a free transfer in the summer.
He was booed off the pitch by Ajax fans in what turned out to be his final appearance for the club. Despite winning the match, he had made a costly mistake by conceding a goal, and they had little sympathy for a player who was clearly looking to leave. Afterwards, he admitted he "did not give a s***."
Ten Hag might be alarmed by the lack of professionalism shown by Onana when he departed Amsterdam, but given his preference to work with players he knows, he will also be well aware of just how good he is.
The United manager previously described Onana as 'masterful', and he might deem it worth the risk to have a master between the sticks next season.
Another key advantage is that the Cameroonian is well aware of what would be expected of him in a Ten Hag team, and he fills the brief as a 'keeper comfortable with the ball at his feet.
“When we lose the ball, we must win it back immediately,” Onana told AFP of Ten Hag back in May 2019. “He is focused on that, he is always telling us that if we have control of the ball, we have the ability to push back any opponent.”
This is of particular relevance to Onana due to his tendency to leave the box when his side is in possession. That might sound alarming, but in reality it is a valuable trait of a modern goalkeeper, given that he can often make himself available as a passing option and help move teammates higher up the pitch to force opponents back.
This was even pointed out prior to the Champions League final when Pep Guardiola pinpointed his style of play as a specific threat to his side in the match.
"For the way they play, with the high press, Onana is an exceptional goalkeeper to take the position to build-up. Really, really good," he told reporters.
The fact that possession-based, pressing football has been made abundantly important to even the goalkeeper, highlights just how in line with Ten Hag's image he is.
Despite beginning to implement a preferred style of play last season, it was still quite clear that De Gea was a square peg in a round hole who contradicted the overarching desires of his manager.
For United to make the jump to the next stage of their rebuild, they need to focus even closer on the finer details of their game and work towards curating a squad of players all in line with the vision of Ten Hag.
A key part of that will be having a goalkeeper who mirrors the manager's philosophy, and Onana certainly meets that criteria.
