Manchester United fans made a big mistake with £45m signing, Rúben Amorim will reap the rewards

Rúben Amorim is about to reap the rewards after Manchester United fans made a mistake surrounding one of their £45 million signings.

Over the last decade, Manchester United‘s transfer business has been incredibly hit-and-miss – the club have spent £1.6 billion but have little to show for it.

Some deals have been rightly applauded, such as the signings of Bruno Fernandes, Lisandro Martínez, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but other deals, such as the major cash splashed on transfers or wages for Paul Pogba, Antony, or Cristiano Ronaldo, have cast a shadow.

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United’s recruitment has been primarily led by former CEO Ed Woodward and his team at United, who have since been replaced by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s new appointments across 2024, which many hope will lead to more rational and well-spent money.

This summer, United have been particularly praised for the signings of Noussair Mazroaui, Matthijs De Ligt, and Leny Yoro, although the jury remains out for some on Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte.

United fans’ big mistake

Football fans are often quick to judge, especially new signings, and this was certainly the case for André Onana when he put pen to paper on a five-year contract at United in 2023.

Coming in to replace David de Gea, who had been at the club for 12 years, there was a lot of pressure on the Cameroon international, who had a drastically different style than De Gea.

His career at Old Trafford started poorly. A series of mistakes across all competitions, particularly in the Champions League, led to the player being heavily criticised, with many labelling him a failed signing and a waste of money.

United spent an initial £43.8 million on Onana from Inter Milan, with a further £4.3 million in performance-related add-ons in the contract.

However, once the turn of 2024 hit, Onana became a different player. He always told the media that he belives in his abilities, and since January, he has become one of the club’s most important leaders, as well as arguably the side’s most consistent player, proving United fans wrong.

Amorim to reap the rewards

With Rúben Amorim now stepping into the club’s head coach role following Erik ten Hag’s sacking, he is set to reap the rewards of Onana’s turnaround at Old Trafford.

Onana, a goalkeeper who is brilliant with his feet and a proficient shot-stopper, will aid Amorim in his pursuit of a new 3-4-3 style of football at the club.

With Amorim aiming to control possession and push his team high up the field, Onana’s range of passing and ability on the ball will allow United to create overloads anywhere they choose on the field. The 28-year-old can step into the defensive line and create an extra man advantage in possession.

Amorim often focuses on bunching his players in the midfield to create third-man runs. With Onana’s confidence outside his area, United will easily find space and players in the heavily contested middle third.

One year after many dismissed him as a failure, Onana may become the key to Amorim’s initial success at the club.

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