What Went Wrong With Onana at Manchester United?

Back when Erik ten Hag was in charge of Manchester United, the club decided to part ways with their long-time goalkeeper and fan favorite, David de Gea, and brought in Inter Milan goalkeeper André Onana.

Ten Hag wanted a goalkeeper who could play as a sweeper-keeper and contribute to his style of football, which was one of the main reasons why De Gea was allowed to leave and Onana was signed. At that time, Onana was not the goalkeeper we see today. He was in excellent form and was widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

However, after arriving at Manchester United, Onana's performances declined significantly. The impressive form he had previously shown seemed to disappear, while costly mistakes became increasingly frequent. As a result, his signing eventually came to be viewed as a problematic decision for Manchester United.

Onana's difficult spell at the club has now reportedly led to him moving to a Turkish club on loan. There is no longer a clear place for him in the current Manchester United squad. So, how did things reach this point?

One of the biggest issues was his inability to cope with the enormous pressure that came from different directions. Manchester United are one of the biggest and most popular clubs in the world. Even though they are a major club like many others, the pressure placed on a new signing at Manchester United is on another level. If a new player fails to perform, the pressure from the supporters and the wider football environment can be much greater than what they would experience at many other clubs.

Playing for Manchester United requires more than simply having decent ability. Players also need the mentality and resilience to deal with the enormous expectations that come with wearing the club's shirt.

That was the problem Onana faced at Manchester United. He was unable to handle the pressure as effectively as he needed to, and as the pressure continued to build from one match to the next, his mistakes became more frequent.

Ultimately, those struggles became a major part of Onana's Manchester United story. The pressure surrounding him continued to grow, while his performances failed to reach the level expected of a goalkeeper at such a demanding club.

Thank you very much to everyone who took the time to read this article all the way to the end.