"We saw Onana have a very good season at Inter," Amorim said in a press conference on 12/9. "Everyone saw his quality. But at Man Utd, every detail is scrutinized. The pressure here is immense, even for experienced players. Sometimes, a player needs a change to rediscover himself."
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Coach Ruben Amorim and goalkeeper Andre Onana during a Man Utd away game in 2025. Photo: PA |
Coach Ruben Amorim and goalkeeper Andre Onana during a Man Utd away game in 2025. Photo: PA
Onana joined Man Utd from Inter Milan for 64 million USD in the summer of 2023. He was expected to replace David De Gea after helping Inter reach the Champions League final. However, after two seasons, the Cameroonian goalkeeper delivered more disappointment than success.
Earlier this season, the 29-year-old goalkeeper suffered a hamstring injury during pre-season. He lost his starting spot to Altay Bayindir in the first three Premier League matches. When Man Utd signed Senne Lammens from Antwerp, the coaching staff decided to loan Onana to Turkey for a year. He is expected to debut for Trabzonspor against Fenerbahce this weekend.
Amorim believes the new environment in Turkey could help Onana relieve some pressure. "Onana is hardworking and always tries to support his teammates," the 40-year-old coach added. "But sometimes, even with all the qualities, a player needs to leave to restart. This feeling comes not only from the coaching staff but also from Onana himself."
This season, Onana has only played one match, a forgettable defeat for Man Utd against fourth-tier Grimsby in the English League Cup, where they were eliminated on penalties. After that match, the "Red Devils" managed a 3-2 victory over Burnley in the Premier League, but the defensive issues continued to trouble Amorim.
During the international break, the Portuguese coach admitted he reviewed numerous matches and discussed with Sporting Director Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada to find solutions to their weaknesses.
In the fourth round, Man Utd will visit the Etihad Stadium to face a struggling Man City at 10:30 PM on Sunday, 14/9. On the same day, Onana will face Ederson in Turkey. These two goalkeepers were rivals in the Manchester derby for the past two seasons.
Coach Guardiola is likely to start new signing Gianluigi Donnarumma against Man Utd. Meanwhile, Amorim confirmed Bayindir will start instead of new signing Lammens.
Hoang An (Daily Mail)
