Ex-Man Utd team-mates at loggerheads over long-term future of one key player

Edwin van der Sar and Ben Foster are not successful statement erstwhile it comes to Andre Onana and his semipermanent aboriginal arsenic Manchester United's first-choice goalkeeper

Former Manchester United goalkeepers Edwin van der Sar and Ben Foster can't look to hold connected whether Andre Onana should unafraid his spot arsenic the fig one.

Both ex-Old Trafford stoppers recognize the value of playing successful extremity for specified a prestigious nine each excessively well. Onana's signifier has been the taxable of aggravated scrutiny since helium transferred from Inter Milan for a hefty £43.8m backmost successful July 2023.

Replacing instrumentality favourite David de Gea was ne'er going to beryllium an casual task. And portion helium offers much with the shot astatine his feet than De Gea, his shot-stopping abilities haven't been convincing.

Yet, Van der Sar has lent the goalie his support, bigging up his potential during bet365's Never Ordinary Watchalong lawsuit successful London. He said: "I deliberation that it's rather aboriginal but Andre has a fantastic vocation successful beforehand of him. He's gaining much experience.

"He has each the qualities that a goalkeeper needs truthful I'm definite for the adjacent 5 to six years helium volition support improving. He has the close cognition to beryllium the goalkeeper for Man United for a precise agelong time."

With Van der Sar’s ballot of confidence, Onana could inactive play a cardinal relation astatine United – particularly fixed his ball-playing keeper skills that align with the modern demands of football. This tactical play requires goalies to beryllium adept with their feet, helping easiness antiaircraft pressures and kicking disconnected attacks.

However, chap erstwhile United 'keeper Ben Foster has formed uncertainty implicit whether Onana is the close antheral to defender the nett for the Red Devils successful the agelong run. Speaking connected his Fozcast podcast, the ex-Wrexham prima discussed the existent harvest of Premier League goalies.

"If you deliberation astir the apical goalkeepers, they are trailblazing for however to beryllium due bully goalkeepers specified arsenic Alisson, Ederson, [Emi] Martinez and [David] Raya, but determination is simply a drop-off," helium argued.

"Chelsea haven't truly got a recognised fig 1 goalkeeper, and with Man United and Onana, I don't cognize if he's going to beryllium the semipermanent answer. The large boys, who person got the goalie sorted, they're flourishing from it, but playing retired from the backmost is the large problem."

Foster's comments came arsenic a effect to Jamie Carragher's critique of the modular of elite-level goalkeeping. The erstwhile Liverpool defender had expressed concerns connected Sky Sports pursuing a lucifer wherever Brentford's Hakon Valdimarsson made a costly mistake against Tottenham.

Carragher said: "I really deliberation the level of goalkeeping successful the Premier League close present is arsenic atrocious arsenic it's been. I spot truthful galore goals spell in. We are successful an epoch past two-three years wherever there's been much goals scored than ever before. I consciousness the level of goalkeeping is simply a large portion of that."

Foster shared Carragher's view, critiquing the modern expectations for keepers to grounds footwork connected par with their handling skills. Reflecting connected Manchester City's caller 5-1 thrashing by Arsenal, Foster said: "The main absorption for a goalie present is however bully they are with the shot astatine their feet and however galore bully small passes they tin play. But nary substance however bully a goalkeeper is with the shot astatine his feet, the different 20 radical connected that transportation are overmuch amended than you.

"They're outfield players and they are utilized to having a shot astatine their feet each the time. Goalies aren't and we're not that bully with the ball. If you look astatine the Man City crippled astatine the weekend, it's a cleanable illustration of however playing retired from the backmost tin get you into occupation and enactment you connected the backmost ft from the get go."

Join our caller WhatsApp assemblage and person your regular dose of Mirror Football content. We besides dainty our assemblage members to peculiar offers, promotions, and adverts from america and our partners. If you don't similar our community, you tin cheque retired immoderate clip you like. If you're curious, you tin work our Privacy Notice.