Edwin van der Saar has disagreed with one of his former Manchester United teammates, making a surprising claim about Rúben Amorim’s current goalkeeper, André Onana.
Edwin van der Sar joined Manchester United in 2005 from Fulham, finally resolving the long-standing goalkeeper issue that had persisted since Peter Schmeichel. At 34, he quickly became Sir Alex Ferguson’s first choice, known for his composure and confidence.
He was vital during a dominant Old Trafford era, helping United win four Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League, where he saved the decisive penalty in the final against Chelsea. His performances brought reliability and leadership to the defence.
In 2008–09, Van der Sar set a Premier League record by going 1,311 minutes without conceding. Alongside Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidić, he anchored one of the league’s best defences with calm authority.
Retiring in 2011 with over 250 appearances, van der Sar left a legacy as one of United’s finest goalkeepers.
Van der Saar’s surprise claim about Onana
After Van der Saar departed Old Trafford, United finally found another stable goalkeeper in David de Gea, but after the Spaniard’s performances declined, he was let go and replaced by André Onana in 2023, although the Cameroon international has failed to impress.
However, the former Dutch shot-stopper has been praising Onana, whom he worked with at Ajax, explaining that he feels the player will have a “great” campaign next season.
“I wouldn’t do that to my good friend André Onana, come on,” Van der Saar said when asked if he feels he would start over Onana in his prime.
“He’s top class, needs to be given more faith, and next season he’s going to be a great goalkeeper for the club.”
Van der Saar is alone when praising Onana
Van der Saar knows Onana well – he was CEO at Ajax when the Cameroon rose to prominence in the Netherlands before his move to Inter Milan. However, his comments run counter to the grain.
Van der Saar’s former teammate and fellow United goalkeeper Ben Foster has expressed a sentiment that many more United fans share, pointing to the notion that Onana’s last two seasons at Old Trafford have not been enough to prove that he should be Amorim’s No. 1.
“It’s a brutal league, the Premier League, and I kind of think [over] the last two seasons that he hasn’t done enough to prove that he is a Manchester United number one,” Foster explained last week.
“I think he’s got ability, and like so many other Man United players, he’d go elsewhere and probably flourish. I think that’s probably going to be the case with him as well.”
Foster continued, explaining that he feels United should try to sign Aston Villa’s Emi Martínez this summer if the opportunity arises. “If the opportunity does come to sign somebody like Emi Martinez, they’ve got to go for it. He’s still one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“A lot of people said this season, probably not up to the standard of the previous two years, but still one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“You’ve got to have a strong spine in any football team. If you get the goalie right, you get a couple of strikers in, Bruno’s going to be staying now. It’s a great start to the transfer window for them.”
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