At Papara Park on 20/9/2025, Trabzonspor dominated the match, attempting 27 shots with 6 on target, compared to Gaziantep's 4 attempts and 1 on target. Onana wasn't overly challenged in goal, despite conceding a goal to Kevin Rodrigues in the 39th minute.
In the 70th minute, the Manchester United loanee made his mark. He dribbled the ball out of the penalty area, paused for a few seconds, and then launched a long pass to Paul Onuachu. The Nigerian forward held off his defender, rounded the Gaziantep goalkeeper, and slotted the ball into the empty net, equalizing the score at 1-1.
Onana's assist quickly gained attention on X (formerly Twitter). "Leave Old Trafford to become a real player," one fan commented. Another wrote, "Every player thrives after leaving Man Utd. What a terrible club." A different perspective emerged: "Onana could never do that in the Premier League."
 |
Andre Onana reacts during Trabzonspor's 1-1 draw against Gaziantep in the sixth round of the Turkish Super Lig on 20/9/2025. Photo: Anadolu |
Onana joined Trabzonspor on loan this summer without a buy-out clause. Even in his debut, a 0-1 loss to Fenerbahce, the 29-year-old goalkeeper was named man of the match. He made eight saves, four of which were diving saves, and prevented 1.63 expected goals.
Beyond his technical skills, Onana has also demonstrated leadership in the dressing room. At halftime during the loss to Fenerbahce, the Cameroonian goalkeeper rallied his teammates to fight for Okay Yokuslu, who had been sent off. "We have to win this for him. If we are together, we can do it," he shouted.
High expectations accompanied Onana's $64 million transfer from Inter Milan to Man Utd in the summer of 2023. However, his recurring errors contributed to Man Utd's defensive instability. This season, Onana played just one match, in the League Cup, where a mistake contributed to a defeat against fourth-tier Grimsby Town.
His situation worsened when a hamstring injury during his second training session after the summer break sidelined him for the entire pre-season tour. Altay Bayindir capitalized on the opportunity to secure the starting spot, despite his own errors. Meanwhile, Man Utd's management actively sought a replacement, eventually signing Senne Lammens from Antwerp.
Before agreeing to the move to Turkey, Man Utd offered Onana to Monaco for approximately $40 million, but the deal fell through. He still has three years left on his contract but is no longer part of manager Ruben Amorim’s plans.
Compiled by Hong Duy
