When Manchester United replaced David de Gea with Andre Onana in the summer of 2023, the move raised eyebrows.

De Gea, after 12 years at Old Trafford, departed following a contract stalemate, while Onana arrived for £43 million after impressing with Inter Milan.

Hailed for his modern style of play and familiarity with Erik ten Hag’s system, Onana seemed a logical successor.

But as time unfolds, questions about the wisdom of this decision have only grown louder.

Onana’s Struggles and United’s Slump

Onana has had a mixed debut season.

While showing glimpses of brilliance, his high-profile mistakes, including a costly error against Brighton, have made him a target of criticism.

Adding fuel to the fire, Manchester United’s disappointing 13th-place standing in the Premier League table hasn’t helped his case.

Statistically, Onana has made four errors leading directly to goals this season.

In comparison, De Gea, now shining for Fiorentina, has yet to make a single error leading to a goal.

In terms of goals conceded, Onana’s 41 goals in 29 matches starkly contrast De Gea’s 22 goals in 19 games.

Even their clean sheet records are revealing—both have kept seven, but Onana required 10 more matches to reach that number.

De Gea’s Renaissance in Italy

At Fiorentina, De Gea has proved he still belongs among Europe’s elite.

At 34, he continues to defy age norms, delivering performances reminiscent of his prime years at Old Trafford.

His save percentage of 72.5% ranks among the best, compared to Onana’s 63.7%, which places the Cameroonian near the bottom of Premier League goalkeepers.

De Gea’s highlight reel includes a jaw-dropping triple save against Como, demonstrating quick reflexes and determination.

Fiorentina manager Raffaele Palladino was full of praise, likening De Gea’s current form to his early days at Atletico Madrid.

The Distribution Myth

Manchester United’s primary motivation for signing Onana was to enhance ball distribution.

However, the statistics suggest only a marginal improvement.

Onana’s passing accuracy is 72.89%, barely ahead of De Gea’s 70.9%.

Surprisingly, De Gea has the upper hand in long-range passing, with 47.18% accuracy compared to Onana’s 32.46%.

The Bigger Picture: What’s Next?

With Fiorentina sitting comfortably in sixth place in Serie A, De Gea appears to be thriving in his new chapter.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s struggles highlight broader issues beyond their goalkeeping dilemma.

Onana still has time to adapt and prove his worth, but the decision to let De Gea go is increasingly looking questionable.

As the season progresses, the comparison between these two keepers will likely continue to fuel debate.

For now, De Gea’s resurgence stands as a stark reminder that sometimes, experience and reliability can outweigh the allure of modernization.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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