It’s been a bad week for United.
Even starting goalkeeper Andre Onana is injured. On the 20th (KST), 90min reported that Onana has been withdrawn from the Cameroon national team due to a pelvic injury. Onana was called up to the national team for the North and Central American World Cup qualifiers. Onana started against Mauritius on Sept. 18 in the first round of Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Africa qualifiers. Onana was doing well until the 36th minute of the second half when he felt pain. The medical team was rushed to the field and Onana was deemed unable to continue playing.
The Cameroon Football Association conducted a medical examination and found a problem in his pubic bone. Onana was eventually dropped from the national team. ‘Onana has been withdrawn from the national team following an injury sustained against Mauritius,’ the Cameroon Football Association said in a statement, adding that ‘medical images taken by the medical staff revealed a problem in the pubic bone. Onana is expected to return to his club, United. The Red Devils will assess his condition further.
If Onana’s condition isn’t good, the Red Devils are on high alert. United has been in the market for a goalkeeper this season. David De Gea has been United’s first-choice goalkeeper. One of the last legacies of former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, De Gea has been United’s first-choice goalkeeper for the past 12 years due to his incredible performances. His incredible saves were the club’s only hope during their darkest days. However, his form has dipped in recent years, and his frequent mistakes have become a hindrance. His buildup has also been a problem, as he’s weak underfoot.
With a weekly salary of £375,000, or a whopping $615,000, he was criticized by fans for being overpaid for his skills. Eventually, coach Eric ten Haag turned his head. The coach, who wants to build a championship team, ultimately refused to re-sign De Gea. De Gea left the team as a free agent.
The search was on for a new goalkeeper. It didn’t take long. Onana, a former student, was selected. Ten Haag worked with Onana at Ajax from 2017 to 2022. During that time, Ajax won three league titles and reached the quarterfinals of the European Champions League. Onana was considered one of the best goalkeepers in Europe at the time. Onana has an animal-like ability to make saves. He’s especially good in the buildup. He can keep the ball and move it around without panicking under pressure. He was expected to add a wing to United’s tenacious style of play.
On top of all that, Onana will earn a weekly wage of £200,000, about $328 million, which is about half of De Gea’s wages. For United, it was an upgrade to a younger, cheaper goalkeeper. The transfer fee was £47 million. Onana delighted Van Gaal and the fans with a solid performance early on. United were playing a style of football they hadn’t seen before: steady build-ups from the back. However, he was soon criticized for his shaky saves. Mourinho’s lack of coordination with the defense led to a series of mistakes, while Onana himself was also underwhelming. The last Champions League match against Galatasaray was a prime example.
When he conceded the equalizer to Wilfried Zaha in the 23rd minute of the first half after going up 1-0, he was too far forward to stop a heavily-bound shot. The worst came in the 33rd minute of the second half. With the score tied at 2-2, Onana misplaced a pass. Kasemiru tried to make a tackle on the doorstep to save the day, but it was too little, too late, and a penalty kick was awarded, leaving Kasemiru to leave the field with an accumulation of cautions. Luckily, kicker Mauro Icardi’s penalty sailed wide of the post to avoid a goal. But three minutes later, Onana’s lack of quality was exposed again. After narrowing his angle to block Icardi’s shot, Onana fumbled his way out of the goal and was unable to prevent the equalizer.
“I’m going to encourage him, I’m going to support him. Onana is a great goalkeeper. She can be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.” “We have already seen her great ability and character. I’m sure he’ll bounce back,” and he did. Onana has been steady of late and has been a big part of United’s resurgence. The Red Devils have won four of their last five games and are showing signs of life.
If Onana is unable to play, United will have to choose between veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton and Altay Bayundr, the Turkkiye goalkeeper they acquired from Fenerbahçe in September. The 1.98-meter tall goalkeeper was the No. 2 signing at the end of the summer transfer window. The first Turkkiye player to join the club, he inherited De Gea’s number one shirt, but has yet to make his United debut behind Onana. That’s a lot of anxiety.
Before Onana, United lost key striker Marcus Rashford to a knock. The England international left the field after colliding with Trent Alexander-Arnold in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta. After complaining of significant pain, Rashford was eventually replaced by Cole Palmer. Rashford is expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future. 아톰카지노