Manchester United’s goalkeeper Andre Onana has opened up about his challenging start at the club.
Onana, who arrived last summer for a hefty £47.2 million from Inter Milan, says it took him half a year to feel comfortable at Old Trafford.
The pressure was on from the beginning. Onana was brought in as the replacement for the highly regarded David de Gea, a four-time club player of the year.
However, his debut against Lens was shaky, with a long-range goal conceded from 50 yards. A string of further errors followed, contributing to United’s disappointing Premier League run and Champions League exit.
Things turned around after Onana returned from the Africa Cup of Nations in February. While he’s not entirely error-free, he’s solidified his position as a dependable player for manager Erik ten Hag.
Onana looks to build on this newfound stability as United heads into the FA Cup final against rivals Manchester City this Saturday.
“I came in as the world’s best goalkeeper, and then everything just fell apart,” Onana reflected. “It was like, ‘what went wrong?’ But that’s the nature of football sometimes. You have a choice: stay down or fight back. I know what I put in to get here. I know my worth. I chose to fight back.”
