Man Utd's Onana replacement: Safe bet, English star or cheap wildcard?

Tom Weber

Updated: 11 Apr 2025 16:32 BST
4 min read

Andre Onana, Ruben Amorim, Man Utd — © IMAGO

Although not a pressing priority, Manchester United are likely to be in the market for a new goalkeeper in the near future.

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Andre Onana, despite actually impressing at the start of the season, has become emblematic of the institutional failure at Manchester United in recent years, with the Cameroon international becoming the butt of the jokes after the club's 2-2 draw with Lyon.

Current ETV

André Onana

Man Utd

André Onana

Man Utd

ETV Range

€30.8M - €37.6M

In the build-up to the game, Onana exclaimed that an in-form Man Utd are 'way better' than their French counterparts. In full context, this is probably an accurate statement, but Man Utd haven't been on form at all over the past two years.

Unsurprisingly, then, supporters and the press pounced on his comments, and things came to a head when former Red Devils midfielder and current Lyon star Nemanja Matic bit back by calling Onana the 'worst goalkeeper in Man Utd history.'

It was ultimately all too predictable that Onana would go on to make two high-profile blunders against Lyon, which meant that the Premier League side only managed a first-leg draw.

Man Utd's three Onana replacements

Onana has made a string of errors in recent months, and there is increasing talk that Ruben Amorim is looking to replace the 29-year-old this summer.

According to GIVEMESPORT, Man Utd have three potential replacements in mind: Lucas Chevalier (Lille), James Trafford (Burnley) and Senne Lammens (Antwerp).

23-year-old Chevalier is regarded as one of the biggest goalkeeper prospects in European football as he has already established himself as Ligue 1's best shot-stopper despite his age.

Trafford, meanwhile, is enjoying a spectacular season for Burnley after their Premier League relegation. While he struggled at times in the top flight, he has been nothing short of a revelation this term, keeping an unbelievable 28 clean sheets in 40 appearances. He has conceded just 12 goals!

Lastly, Lammens has impressed at Royal Antwerp since usurping the No.1 shirt. The Belgian, who, like Trafford, is only 22, has been on the radar of Man Utd for months due to his promising performances and due to the fact that he would likely be cheaper than the other two options.

According to data from SciSports, Chevalier and Trafford would both be ideal solutions for the Red Devils, while there would be concerns over Lammens.

Chevalier has the second-highest potential out of any U23 goalkeeper in Europe's senior leagues, only behind compatriot Guillaume Restes at Toulouse. However, the 20-year-old has not reached the current level of ability as Chevalier.

Trafford actually beats out Chevalier with his ability, but the Frenchman is predicted to become slightly better in the long term. The homegrown also trumps Chevalier when it comes to suitability to Man Utd.

SciSports' Career Advice tool gives Trafford a good Club Fit rating of 76, while Chevalier and Lammens clock in at a middling 69 and 68, respectively. The latter is also deemed significantly worse than the other two in terms of ability and potential.

Both Trafford and Chevalier will reportedly cost between €35 million and €40m this summer, so Man Utd should prioritise a move for the Englishman - if they can afford him.