News came out yesterday that MUFC's number 1, well 24, could be heading to the Saudi Pro League.
Graeme Bailey of TBR Football says that "The Saudi Pro League have shown an interest in Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana and TBR Football understands the Cameroon star would be open to moving to the Middle East this summer."
Bailey adds that the SPL "have received encouragement from both the player and Manchester United that a deal is there to be done."
This is Andre Onana's second season at Old Trafford after joining in 23/24 as one of former manager Erik ten Hag's first recruits of his second campaign at the helm.
The Cameroonian came in with a lot of excitement considering all he'd done at Inter Milan the previous season including a stellar display in the Champions League final against Man City.
This is why despite letting go off club legend and number 1 for 12 years David de Gea, many fans were encouraged by the signing of the impressive Onana who had previously worked with ten Hag during the Dutchman's successful spell at Ajax.
However, things have not gone quite to plan with the 28-year-old 'keeper.
United and ten Hag wanted to revolutionize how the team builds up from the back and felt that a change in goal was necessary regardless of the status and stature of de Gea. The Spaniard was highly criticized for his poor distribution even if his superb shotstopping ability remained, an ability that was so good it earned him the PL Golden Glove in what turned out to be his final season at United.
With Onana's apparent ability with the ball at his feet as well as being good in terms of that shotstopping and all round goalkeeping, he seemed to be the perfect replacement for a club legend.
The problem with him is that Onana has shown glimpses of what a great goalkeeper he could be. There have been several de Gea-esque performances where he kept United in games and earned us points with his goalkeeping.
There's been times when his passing has been Andrea Pirlo-like showing us that perhaps he is this ball-playing goalie we were searching for.
As I said though, these were glimpses rather than anything sustainable.
He has been much too inconsistent for one with the quality and experience he has displayed over the years.
While that shotstopping ability can be seen every other game, it isn't always there. Onana is as likely to make a brilliant save as he is in making an absolute gaff. There are also the odd occasions where United are the dominant side resulting in very little for the goalkeeper to do. However, when he is randomly called into action, he can be very suspect and put United in danger rather than remove it.
His commanding of the box isn't anywhere near good enough too. He stays on his line far too often, he is a bit weak and can flap at the ball instead of getting anything strong on it to avert the danger. The former Inter man for some reason tends to parry the ball into dangerous areas as well. These are saves that you would expect him to push away from any opposition players or perhaps even hold onto them.
Onana is joint 5th when it comes to most errors leading to goals in the Premier League this season with 3. Honestly thought it would be more.
The area of his game that was supposed to be his strength especially over de Gea, is actually not that much of an improvement from his predecessor. Onana's kicking can be very hit and miss (more miss) as he finds the opposition or touchline rather than his own teammates most of the time.
There has been talk that Ruben Amorim has been telling him to go long a little more than perhaps we'd like but when those kicks are as inaccurate as his, we just end up giving up cheap possession.
Moreover, there is that tendency to go long from him whether the manager instructs him to or not which can be very frustrating.
The Cameroonian has also put United in danger far too many times by playing some poor passes out from the back. Casemiro was sent off in last season's Champions League game against Galatasaray at home because of this.
Speaking of the Champions League, one could say that he played a big part in United exiting the competition in the group stage fininshing bottom between them Bayern Munich, Galatasaray and Copenhagen thanks to his many catastrophic errors.
Due to all of this, there is a lack of trust there between him and his defense, team overall and manager which is why we're in this situation of looking to let him go just two seasons in.
We all even want Altay Bayindir to start ahead of him it's just unfortunate that the Turk got injured not long after that performance against Arsenal. I think had he stayed fit, there may have been a chance that he would've started instead of Onana as the number 1.
Amorim also telling Onana to go long doesn't really make sense to me. The way this manager plays isn't one where he goes long as often as this. That gives the ball away easily and we know that Amorim likes to keep possession. That means keeping it on the ground and building up from the back. Perhaps due to Onana's unreliability to build up from defense, the manager has instructed him to rather go long and remove that initial danger?
United's weakness from corners, free-kicks and balls into the box is made even worse knowing that our goalkeeper isn't the strongest. The mistake he made out of nowhere against Brighton in the 3-1 home loss is a case and point.
It is a little surprising though, that Onana himself is open to moving to the Middle East, according to this article. I thought that he would want to stay and try to showcase exactly why he should be our number 1 for years to come.
I find him to be a very confusing character. I do like Onana and believe he is a confident guy, but it's a pity that his ability doesn't match that confidence.
In a way, he is kind of the perfect player for this current United. He is inconsistent, this team is inconsistent. He is very hit and miss, this team is very hit and miss. He is untrustworthy, this team is untrustworthy.
You never know what you're going to get.
When you start to become a bit of a meme and opposition fans don't want you to leave, you know you've got a problem.
I thought he would be this revolutionary 'keeper and did give him a chance but faith in him has become increasingly difficult. As a fan of de Gea's, it was hard to take how he was treated and let go so whoever was coming in to replace him, was already playing on the back foot for me.
That guy needed to arrive and show straight away that he was him between the sticks to help make us forget about the former goalkeeper.
de Gea was also well-liked and respected and got us out of a pickle more often than he should have with those incredible relflexes he had whilst at United. Those saves he would make to keep us in games were unbelievable. That in itself was already difficult for any new goalie to replicate.
I also find that people don't understand how hard a position the United goalkeeper is. We struggled to replace the great Dane Peter Schmeichel as there were many candidates who tried and failed before Sir Alex Ferguson eventually found a 34-year-old Edwin van der Sar from Fulham.
A young up-and-comer in David de Gea was then brought in to replace the Dutchman as Ferguson took one of just three days off to scout the man who became a United legend. He too had his difficulties at the start much like Onana although the Spaniard joined as a teenager whereas Onana was already an experienced pro having also previously played for the manager who signed him at United.
I don't find that goalkeeper is a problem that needs solving now. It is a problem but not a priority in my opinion. While the rumors are saying that United and Amorim have already eyed up their replacements for the Cameroonian (Senne Lammens - Royal Antwerp, Lucas Chevalier - Lille [SunSport via Transfer News Live]) I don't believe it is as high a priority as striker or midfielder.
On the other hand, were United to sell him, I wouldn't cry about it. Admittedly, I don't know much about those goalies mentioned above but I trust Amorim on signings and outgoings.
One can understand the impatience with Onana as he has become very unreliable in goal and with a contract that expires in June 2028, there is the potential to generate some funds for the player United spent £47m in 2023. Don't know how much of that we'll get back but some money is better than none, especially in United's current financial predicament.
Andre Onana to Saudi Arabia then. Good deal for all parties?
Background Image: Andre Onana could be on the move to Saudi Arabia Creator: OLI SCARFF | Credit: AFP via Getty Images Copyright: AFP or licensors - Goal