Manchester United has had an intensely challenging session packed with poor performances and injuries. While dealing with these issues, the summer transfer priorities had taken a backseat, up until now.
Risk has been a common factor in all kinds of games. Cricket, rugby, tennis, and even spinning the reels at casino games of SwiftCasino involve some level of calculated risk. But the risk taken by Manchester United in the 47m transfer of Onana could prove to be fatal to the club. With 400m left as unpaid transfer fees and a meagre 14th rank in the Premier League Standings, the club’s future looks rather bleak.
The dilemma of Onana’s standing in the club was questioned when he made two tragic errors in last week’s 2-2 draw in Lyon. To heighten the issue, this occurred right after the former United Midfielder Nemanja Matic labeled Onana as one of United’s “worst-ever goalkeeper.”
Co-owner Sir Jim Ractliffe had mentioned Onana by name as he commented on “getting the house in order” financially. He said this while explaining why the club will be taking some time to “move away from the past into a new place in the future”.
The decision on who will replace Onana in their crucial Europa League quarter-final is still left unanswered, and the head coach Ruben Amorim will possibly put an end to the uncertainties by answering to the media’s questions on Wednesday. The selection is crucial and can have a direct influence over the future of the club.
The choice is now between Onana and the club’s backup goalkeeper Altay Bayinder. The goalkeeper who doesn’t cut the mark may move on and look for other clubs. Moreover, there is a very real possibility that both the goalkeepers can choose to leave, lining the club up for transfers, which is going to be tricky considering the current financial conditions.
Onana has been on a streak of making errors since the start of last season. In total, he has made eight errors leading to goals in all competitions. A number that no other keeper in any Premier League Club has accumulated.
The motivation behind Matic’s attack on Onana isn’t clear. It could be because of the statement Onana had made about Lyon prior to the game. He had said that he respected the French club, but thought United were “way better”.
But Matic’s reaction when David de Gea, the man Onana replaced, had a similar set of mistakes in 2019 was not the same. Commenting on David, he had then said, “He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and will be for years to come.”
The verbal attack from the former United midfielder must have been purely based on personal biases or it could also have been an effort to emphasize a point shared by many that United had not taken the right decision by not renewing De Gea’s contract in 2023 and instead opting for Onana’s transfer that cost 47.2m.
The verbal conflict intensified when Onana ignored the cautionary reply and retaliated by adding: “At least I have lifted trophies with the greatest club in the world. Some can’t say the same.”
These issues were brewing in the background when Onana made his first mistake for Lyon’s opening goal in the 2-2 draw. He didn’t stop there; he made another tragic mistake in the injury-time equaliser, giving his critics a strong case against him. The reaction from the public has been intense. The keeper has been mocked, and his performances have been a subject of debate.
The 29-year-old had reacted late to Almond’s cross, waiting to see if a Lyon player would divert the ball, but failed to save the goal as the free-kick kept its line.
Amorim, the head coach of the club, made remarks stating that he has made more mistakes this season than his goalkeeper, Andre Onan. He said, “ If you look at the season, I have made more mistakes than they have during these last games and during these last months.”
When asked about his thoughts on Onana, he said, “We continue to do the same thing. Training, seeing the games, trying to choose the best eleven to win every match.”
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