The spotlight on Manchester United's goalkeeping situation has rarely been fiercer. As of September 8, 2025, the club is preparing for a new era between the posts after confirming Andre Onana's season-long loan move to Turkish side Trabzonspor. Onana, once hailed as one of the world's best goalkeepers, now departs Old Trafford amidst a swirl of criticism, tactical upheaval, and mounting pressure—leaving supporters and pundits alike to reflect on how things unraveled so quickly.
Onana's journey at United began with sky-high expectations. Signed for £47 million from Inter Milan just two years ago, the Cameroon international arrived with a reputation for exceptional distribution and composure under pressure. Edwin van der Sar, himself a legendary figure in goal and former Ajax executive, was among Onana's most vocal supporters. "It is hard to be a Manchester United goalkeeper in this moment," manager Ruben Amorim candidly remarked before the most recent international break, a sentiment that has only grown more resonant as events have unfolded.
This season, Onana's only appearance came in the Carabao Cup second-round defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town—a match that may well mark his final outing in a United shirt. In that game, Onana was at fault for Grimsby's second goal, a mistake emblematic of the struggles that have plagued his time in Manchester. Despite his pedigree, the change in tactics after his arrival—moving away from short passing and building from the back—exposed vulnerabilities and eroded confidence, both in Onana and among the fans.
As the errors mounted, so did the scrutiny. On his Old Trafford debut in a pre-season friendly against Lens, Onana was caught off his line and chipped from 50 yards after a misplaced pass. From there, the narrative shifted rapidly. Erik ten Hag, who had previously worked with Onana at Ajax and orchestrated his arrival, found his faith tested as mistakes became more frequent. The support from within the club began to wane notably after the Europa League trip to Lyon in April, where Onana's pre-match confidence—"we are way better," he said—was met with a harsh response from former United midfielder Nemanja Matic, who labeled him "one of the worst goalkeepers in the club's history." Onana's two errors in the ensuing 2-2 draw only intensified the pressure.
Amorim, now at the helm, eventually gave Turkey's number two goalkeeper Altay Bayindir his Premier League debut, relegating Onana to the sidelines. Bayindir started the final league game of last season and has continued as first choice for the opening three matches of the current campaign, despite his own high-profile mistakes against Burnley and Arsenal. Meanwhile, United moved decisively in the transfer market, spending £18 million to sign 23-year-old Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp—opting for youth and potential over the experience of Aston Villa's World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez.
The decision to pursue Lammens reflects a long-term vision, with club insiders suggesting he is expected to play a central role in three or four years when United hope to be competing for major honors once again. Yet, as former defender Phil Jones put it, "To be the number one at United you need to have rhino skin." Jones, who made 229 appearances for the club, emphasized the unique mental fortitude required to thrive under the Old Trafford spotlight. "The Manchester United shirt is a heavy one to wear," he explained. "If a goalkeeper makes a mistake, it becomes infectious very quickly and spreads through the defensive unit. If a goalkeeper made a mistake, it was almost like you couldn't get it out of your system until the next game."
Onana's exit is not without its silver linings—at least for the player himself. According to reports, his loan move to Trabzonspor will see him double his wages, thanks to sign-on bonuses and incentives offered by the Turkish club. Trabzonspor, for their part, are unbeaten in their first four games of the Turkish league season and sit just two points behind leaders Galatasaray. Onana is poised to step in as their first-choice keeper, replacing a departing starter who has conceded only once in four matches. Interestingly, United will receive no loan fee for Onana's move, and there is no agreed fee for a permanent transfer next summer.
The move has drawn mixed reactions from the footballing world. Former Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers defender Nedum Onuoha, speaking on ESPN FC, remarked, "If he ends up leaving what a horrendous spell that's been, I remember when he first came over and he played in the Champions League final for Inter and was such a big part of what they were about and before that when he was at Ajax. Then to come to United and not leave any sort of legacy is hugely disappointing from his standpoint, and with a replacement coming in, in Lammens that's tough." Onuoha continued, "You've been replaced this early with a new manager, but we can see why, we can see the errors, we can see the confidence being drained away from and the confidence of the manager losing faith in what he can be as a goalkeeper."
Amorim, meanwhile, has tried to shield Onana from some of the harsher criticism. After the defeat to Grimsby, he stated, "With all due respect, when you play against a fourth-division team, it's not the goalkeeper, it's everything." Yet, the reality remains that the pressure on United goalkeepers is unrelenting. Former United goalkeeper Roy Carroll, who won a league title and played in the 2004 FA Cup final, knows the toll it can take. "It's not easy playing for Manchester United at the moment, but it was hard back then because everyone was expecting the new Peter Schmeichel," Carroll recalled. "Even then, if you made a mistake, it was big news. You had to be mentally strong and that is still the case." Carroll also highlighted the importance of off-field support, noting, "You can be the best keeper in the world but, once you lose the mental side of it, it can break you, like it did with me for quite a while. That's why I try help the young goalkeepers because the pressure now is a lot more intense."
As Manchester United prepare for their next Premier League fixture, the focus will be on whether Bayindir or the newly arrived Lammens can rise to the challenge. The club's history is filled with legendary stoppers—De Gea, Van der Sar, Schmeichel—but also with reminders of how quickly fortunes can change. For Onana, the move to Trabzonspor represents a fresh start and a chance to rebuild his reputation away from the glare of Old Trafford. For United, it's another chapter in the ongoing quest to find stability in one of football's most unforgiving positions.
The action is far from over at Carrington and beyond. With a new face between the posts and the pressure as high as ever, all eyes remain on Manchester United's next move in their ever-evolving goalkeeping saga.
