When long-serving David de Gea announced that he wouldn't sign a new deal at Manchester United, it naturally came as a shock.
Like all good things, however, de Gea's time at the club had to end, and it is certainly very arguable that his tenure at the club was in dire need of cessation. De Gea for a specific period of his career was arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, as many would find themselves in awe of his sometimes abnormal shot-stopping - probably his most complete goalkeeping performance in a United shirt being United's 3-1 away win against Arsenal in 2017, where De Gea recorded 14 saves, a Premier League record which still stands.
In De Gea's case, however, United's retraction of a contract they had offered him earlier this year was a sign that ten Hag had realised that the game had evolved past the need for a goalkeeper like De Gea, whose only standout attribute of shot-stopping was statistically in decline, hence the subsequent signing of former Inter Milan, Ajax and La Masia graduate Andre Onana. While the contract situation of De Gea could've definitely been handled more carefully and respectfully, the bottom line is that his exit has signalled a new era for United.
Why did Manchester United want Onana?
When asking this question, it is important to note that Onana wasn't necessarily United's number one target since the beginning of the transfer window, as De Gea's future was still submerged in uncertainty due to the poor handling of the situation. United had been keeping their eyes on many keepers throughout the season, having sent scouts to Portugal regularly to report on Portuguese international Diogo Costa, as well as other keepers like Dutch international Bart Verbruggen, Brighton's Robert Sanchez and Brentford's David Raya.
The bottom line is that United were ultimately looking for a goalkeeper who suited the demands of the modern game, as De Gea was left trailing behind as the game had progressed beyond his capabilities. Nowadays, being an unbelievable shot-stopper simply isn't enough to be able to not only serve your team, but take them up a level in the threat that they are able to pose. If you look at the elite teams in Europe such as Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and others, they have goalkeepers who are highly assured in most of the requirements of a modern keeper.
Nowadays, with teams becoming more technical and compact, your goalkeeper should not only be able to relieve pressure by consistently claiming crosses and sweeping, they should be able to provide an extra option in the first phase of the build-up of play, making it easier to pass through a press. The benefit of a multi-faceted goalkeeper was evident in the recent Champions League final between City and Inter Milan, where the stars of the show turned out to be the two opposing goalkeepers: Ederson of Man City and Onana of Inter. Onana in that game completed 32 accurate passes (73%) and 10 accurate long balls out of 21 attempts, as per Sofascore.
Once De Gea had officially departed, it was then that Erik ten Hag had reportedly made it clear to United that he wanted his former Ajax goalkeeper, and wanted him signed promptly so he could join up with his teammates during pre-season and quickly integrate himself into the squad. Ten Hag was incredibly fortunate that Onana was not only a goalkeeper he had worked with and been successful with in the past, he was a goalkeeper who at 27 years old was just entering his prime years.
What will Onana bring to ten Hag's Manchester United?
Put simply, United are getting the archetypal ten Hag goalkeeper in Onana. An exemplary passer of the ball who is more than comfortable with dribbling in or outside of his penalty area when the ball is at his feet, and while this will undeniably prove to be a detriment from time to time, his comfort with the ball at his feet has empirically benefited his contribution in the first phase of play - per FBRef, last season Onana had a pass completion percentage of 41% for passes longer than 40 yards, placing him in the 75th percentile.
Since Onana began being linked to United, questions were raised about his shot-stopping ability, as the primary job of the goalkeeper is to keep the ball out of the net as best as they can. In this regard also, Onana is not only a statistically better shot-stopper than De Gea, but one of the very best shot-stoppers in Europe, ranking in the 88th percentile for his save percentage per 90 throughout last season with 76%. Onana performed admirably in Europe's grandest club competition the Champions League, accumulating the most saves (48) and the most clean sheets (8).
Onana will also be bringing invaluable big game experience to a United side that is slowly becoming filled with players who are both winners and have well-documented high statistical output. At 27 years old Onana has already won eight major trophies in his professional career, including three Eredivisie titles with ten Hag while at Ajax. Last season he was a strong component of the Inter Milan side that not only won the Coppa Italia, but also the Supercoppa Italiana. Onana also has World Cup experience.
Why is the signing of Onana so significant?
The signing of Onana is very significant because it reinforces ten Hags philosophy of football and how how he wants his team to play going forward. When speaking to the press before United's pre-season friendly against Arsenal in New Jersey on July 22nd, ten Hag said that he wants United to become the best transition team in world football - for this aspiration to be realised, ten Hag convinced himself that fixing the spine of his squad was crucial.
In Onana, United now have a modern goalkeeper who, like the Ederson's and the Alisson's of world football, can become a viable outlet in possession, which is conducive to outnumbering the opposition team's pressing, which is also only enhanced by all the traits he has that are listed above. In Onana, United now have one of the keys to eventually unlocking the ceiling of becoming a dangerous team not just in and out of possession, but in transition also. Put simply, Onana is a monumental upgrade on the services of De Gea.
