Van der Sar explains Onana struggles at Man Utd
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana
by Staff Reporter
Tuesday Feb 24, 2026. 15:00
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has given his opinion as to why Andre Onana struggled to establish himself with the Premier League club.
The Cameroonian shot-stopper joined United in 2023 from Inter Milan, joining up with former Ajax mentor Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
However, the goalkeeper struggled to find his footing and was sent on loan to Turkish club Trabzonspor at the start of the current season.
And his difficulties have continued in the Super Lig, casting doubt over whether he will make a permanent transfer to Trabzon.
Van der Sar argues that Onana remains a talented goalkeeper, and that he was a victim of the club’s state of flux – with new managers, changing ownership and a general lack of consistency and stability making it incredibly difficult for the Cameroonian to settle.
The Dutchman explained, “I thought, and I still think, that he [Onana] has tremendous qualities – reflections and his feet – but somehow, he has the odd mistake in him that makes you think ‘That’s crazy, how can he do that’.
“A team wants stability, to know what your goalkeeper is doing so the back four can relate and I think that’s what happened with Andre.
“United haven’t had stability for the last six or seven years – the back four changing, the centre-halves and midfielders changing, coaches changing – so, it’s difficult for new players to come into an environment where the expectations are high, not only for goalkeepers but also for a winger or midfielder.
“A lot of players who have come here in the last eight or nine years have not reached the level that people expected them to reach.”