'De Gea better than Onana' - Premier League legend breaks goalkeepers' union to slam Man Utd keeper

Robin Bairner

4 Oct 2023 08:35 BST
3 min read

David de Gea, Andre Onana, Man Utd — © ProShots

Legendary Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given has questioned Manchester United’s decision to sign Andre Onana, suggesting that many fans of the Red Devils would prefer to have David de Gea back.

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De Gea departed the club in controversial circumstances this summer. It appeared a new contract had been agreed with him and that he would remain at Old Trafford, but at the eleventh hour there was a change of circumstances and he instead became a free agent.

The Spaniard’s departure left a void that Man Utd paid Inter Milan over €50 million for Onana to fill.

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The Cameroon international had worked with manager Erik ten Hag extensively at Ajax and it was hoped that his ability to play with the ball at his feet would be an asset to the Red Devils.

Onana, though, has struggled to settle, making a series of high-profile errors, including mistakes in each of Man Utd’s opening two Champions League encounters.

In the 3-2 loss to Galatasaray on Tuesday, a loose pass with the score at 2-2 saw Casemiro concede a penalty that Mauro Icardi ultimately sent wide of the post. The midfielder, though, was dismissed and shorthanded, Man Utd went on to lose 3-2, with Icardi beating the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation near the end.

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Onana's super power deserts him

Given, who featured 450 times in the Premier League, most notably for Newcastle, Manchester City and Aston Villa, slammed the goalkeeper.

“Ball-playing is meant to be one of his strengths, or his super-power, but that was really poor,” he told RTE.

"I wonder how many Man Utd fans now would say I'd take David de Gea over Onana? He wasn't brilliant with the ball at his feet, so that penalty wouldn't happened. David de Gea would've put the ball higher up the pitch.

“And then the saves, David de Gea would have made more saves. The third goal, I would question Onana for that as well.”

Man Utd have conceded 18 goals in just nine matches this season and face Brentford at home on Saturday ahead of the international break.