Two ex-Manchester United players disagree on the future of Andre Onana as the club’s starting goalkeeper. Edwin van der Sar and Ben Foster are both familiar with the challenges of being a goalkeeper at Old Trafford. Onana’s performance as goalkeeper has divided opinions since his transfer to United from Inter Milan for a starting fee of £43.8 million in July 2023, facing some backlash for his lack of consistency. Nevertheless, Van der Sar has recently expressed his support for the 28-year-old, implying that his skills will develop with time. During the bet365’s Never Ordinary Watchalong event in London, the Dutchman mentioned, “It may be a bit early, but Andre (Onana) has an incredible career ahead of him.” He is acquiring additional experience. “He possesses all the attributes necessary for a goalkeeper, so I am confident that he will continue to develop over the next five to six years.” “His mindset is well-suited for being Manchester United’s goalkeeper for an extended period.” Van der Sar’s support will surely be welcomed by Onana, especially since he was brought into United as their ball-playing goalkeeper, aligning with the broader trend in elite football. This usually demands that they possess good footwork to ease pressure on defenses and initiate offensive plays. Nonetheless, Foster, who was with United from July 2005 to May 2010, has raised doubts about Onana’s long-term capabilities. In his Fozcast podcast, the former Wrexham player discussed the present quality of goalkeepers in the Premier League, stating: “When considering the elite keepers, names like Allison, Edison, Martinez, and Raya stand out as leading examples of excellent goalkeeping, but there’s a noticeable decline after them.” He referenced training with Edwin van der Sar and Ben Foster back in 2008 (Image: Photo by John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images).
