BBC pundit Robbie Savage is unsure if Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag made an “upgrade” by replacing David de Gea with summer signing Andre Onana.
De Gea made his exit from Old Trafford at the end of the season after talks over a new United contract broke down amid a reported change to the initial deal.
The 32-year-old Spaniard had agreed to a United deal that saw his salary slashed before the Premier League club reportedly submitted a new proposal.
De Gea, who won the Premier League Golden Glove award last season, and United decided to walk away from a new deal before the arrival of Onana in the summer.
Savage on Onana succeeding De Gea
United dropped a hefty £43.8m transfer fee, plus £3.4m in add-ons, to land Onana from Serie A side Inter Milan in the summer window.
Ten Hag worked with the 27-year-old Cameroon international during his time at Ajax and saw Onana as De Gea’s long-term successor at Old Trafford.
Onana has been hailed for his modern playing style, including his natural ability to distribute the ball, but the United No 1 has come under stinging criticism so far.
Savage admired Onana for taking accountability for his howler against Bayern Munich, but he remains unconvinced if the ex-Inter star is an “upgrade” on De Gea.
Speaking in his column for The Daily Mirror, he wrote: “But I have to ask of Ten Hag: Is goalkeeper Andre Onana an upgrade on David De Gea?
“I admire Onana for standing up and taking the blame for defeat at Bayern and, yes, he looks more comfortable than De Gea with the ball at his feet — but are the outfield players who receive it any better equipped to play out from the back?”
Onana must prove his critics wrong
The pressure has been turned up a notch on Onana after United’s 4-3 Champions League defeat to Bayern at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening.
Ten Hag defended the United shot-stopper after the match, but Onana has to immediately bounce back and hit back at his critics with a stellar performance.
De Gea, much like Onana, faced early criticism when he arrived at Old Trafford in 2011 from Atletico Madrid and initially lost his place as United No 1 under Sir Alex Ferguson.
However, the ex-United shot-stopper fought hard to regain his place and outright established himself as the club’s first-choice No 1 beyond Ferguson’s retirement.
All eyes will be on Onana for the Burnley clash at Turf Moor on Saturday evening, but it’s the right place for the United star to send a statement of intent.
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