Manchester United Legend Explained Why Onana Failed and How Lammens Could Succeed
Edwin van der Sar addressed Manchester United’s goalkeeping struggles and the future of the position.
The saga of André Onana at Old Trafford has officially closed, leaving behind a trail of "what ifs" and high-profile blunders. Now, a voice of ultimate authority has weighed in: Edwin van der Sar.
The legendary Dutch keeper, a four-time Premier League champion and Champions League hero with the Red Devils, recently shared his unfiltered thoughts on why his former Ajax protégé failed to fill the void left by David de Gea.
The Broken Promise: A £47M Disaster
Onana arrived in 2023 with a massive reputation and a £47 million price tag from Inter Milan. He was supposed to be the "modern keeper" United craved. However, as Van der Sar noted on the TV program The Overlap, the cracks appeared almost immediately.
The "curse" seemed to start in pre-season when he conceded a goal from the halfway line against Lens. What followed was a series of errors that Van der Sar describes as "difficult to explain":
- Champions League Collapse: Critical errors led to a premature exit from Europe’s top competition.
- The "Worst Ever" Label: Before a Europa League semi-final against Lyon, former United man Nemanja Matic infamously labeled Onana the "worst goalkeeper in the history" of the club.
- The Grimsby Humiliation: A disastrous performance in a Carabao Cup loss to Grimsby Town proved to be the final straw, leading to his loan to Trabzonspor.
Van der Sar’s Diagnosis: Talent vs. Stability
"I worked with him for years at Ajax," Van der Sar explained. "He has extraordinary reflexes and can play with his feet, but every now and then, he makes a mistake that leaves you speechless."
However, the Dutchman didn't place all the blame on Onana's shoulders. He pointed to the "institutional chaos" at Manchester United—constant changes in managers, center-backs, and midfielders—as a major factor. "A goalkeeper needs a strong structure in front of him. Without that stability, it’s nearly impossible to perform at your peak," he asserted.
For Onana, the decline was total, even resulting in his exclusion from the Cameroon squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Senne Lammens Era: Stability Returns
While Onana attempts to rebuild his career in Turkey, Manchester United has moved on with a new gamble: Senne Lammens. After passing on the chance to sign Emiliano "Dibu" Martínez, the club bet on the young Belgian, and so far, the payoff has been significant.
Van der Sar is already a fan: "He’s only been here two months, but he looks comfortable with the physical rhythm of the Premier League. He comes out for aerial balls with authority and transmits confidence. He looks like he has what it takes to stay for a long time."
The Verdict
The "Onana Experiment" will go down as one of the most expensive and frustrating chapters in United's recent history. But in 2026, with Lammens providing the "quiet confidence" the team has lacked, Old Trafford finally feels like it has a foundation again.
