One of Erik ten Hag’s signings at Manchester United has been slammed as “useless” after a difficult run of form.
Manchester United signed André Onana from Inter in the summer of 2023 after the departure of David de Gea.
Erik ten Hag previously worked with Onana at Ajax and wanted to be reunited with the goalkeeper at Old Trafford.
Onana’s debut campaign at the club was mixed. He was mostly solid in the Premier League but it can be argued that he single-handedly knocked his team out of the Champions League.
It seemed like the 28-year-old turned a corner at the back-end of last season and the start of this campaign.
But mistakes have creeped back in and it is usually the same issues on display, such as failing to parry shots away from goal.
Former United defender Parker slams Onana
Onana has been slammed as “useless” by former United defender Paul Parker, who believes that the goalkeeper’s mentality is poor. Parker also suggests that the club will not think about upgrading on the shot-stopper this summer due to other priorities.
However, the most frustrating part in Parker’s view is the way in which club legend David de Gea departed the club. He was expecting his contract to be extended but the Spaniard ended up leaving for free.
Parker describes the situation as a “disgrace” which now looks even more “ridiculous” due to Onana being a poor replacement.
“The problem is probably that the goalkeeper position won’t be a priority for a new signing, as there are so many other issues in other positions that need strengthening,” Parker told SpilXperten.
“I can’t help but think about why the club let David De Gea go. It was a really disgraceful way they parted with him after he was named Player of the Year three times in a row, and right now, it looks even more ridiculous because his replacement is so useless.”
“Another thing I really don’t like about Onana is his mentality. It doesn’t seem to bother him when Manchester United concedes a goal.
“You never see him standing there shouting or scolding his defence, like De Gea or Peter Schmeichel always did. For them, keeping a clean sheet was a matter of life and death. It meant everything to them.”
Onana’s consistency is biggest problem
Onana is far from a useless goalkeeper. The Cameroon shot-stopper made several important saves late on to ensure the Reds didn’t lose the first-leg against Real Sociedad.
He also had a really strong start to the season and saved the Reds some points in games where they looked destined to concede more goals.
However, there has seemed to always be the concern that things can switch quickly. His consistency is the biggest problem.
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Playing in between the sticks is a thankless task and needs someone who will be one of the most consistent performers in the team.
Onana always feels like he might have a mistake in him and the fans at Old Trafford feel that.
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