Manchester United have Barcelona to thank if move for exciting transfer target goes through

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Manchester United are considering a move for Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana after ‘registering an interest’ in the player.

The Guardian report Manchester United is Andre Onana’s club of preference over Chelsea, if is sold, with Inter needing to raise funds.

Erik ten Hag knows all about Andre Onana’s quality, having worked with him at Ajax. The Cameroon international is totally different to David de Gea, being renowned for his exquisite footwork.

This would be a game-changing signing for Manchester United, an upgrade on De Gea’s sub-par build-up play.

Andre Onana learned his craft at Barcelona

Andre Onana is best known for his success with Ajax, where he established himself as one of Europe’s most promising goalkeepers.

He won three titles at Ajax, playing for their youth team before breaking into the first team in 2016.

But it was at Barcelona where Onana took his first steps in European football and became the goalkeeper he is today.

Back in Cameroon at a Samuel Eto’o Foundation football school, he impressed Barcelona’s scouts at a tournament and moved to the famous La Masia academy at 14.

Four years later he quit for Ajax, seeing a quicker path to first team football, but it was his grounding at Barcelona which turned him into the player he is today.

The Athletic reported: “Goalkeepers at La Masia are developed with an eye to the singular demands of Barcelona’s first team, which means they must be confident with the ball at their feet, quick to sweep off their line and possess the athletic ability to deal with one-on-ones when opponents break the high defensive line.”

This has gone onto become a key feature of Onana’s game, and was on full display in the Champions League final, where he caused City problems with his passing.

City boss Pep Guardiola told Football Italia that Onana is “an exceptional goalkeeper in the build-up – one of the best in the world right now.”

It is easy to see why United are interested, with Onana’s strengths laying clear as the major weaknesses in David de Gea’s game.