08 July 2023 , 13:31
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Rio Ferdinand has insisted that Manchester United fans should expect mistakes from Andre Onana if he does make his mega-money move to Old Trafford.
With David de Gea's poor form at the tail-end of last term reportedly costing him his place as United's number one and potentially his place at the club altogether, manager Erik ten Hag has identified Onana as the man he wants to line up between the sticks moving forward.
Ten Hag worked closely with Onana, now of Inter Milan, during their shared time at Ajax and is a keen admirer of the Cameroon international's ability with the ball at his feet. Unlike De Gea, Onana is renowned for being incredibly comfortable in possession.
However, the style of play that Onana enjoys so much comes with a large degree of risk. Ferdinand has explained that errors are inevitable but also revealed he is confident the Inter shot-stopper has more than enough talent to help transform United.
‘He’ll give United more confidence and more ability to play out from the back and I think he suits an Erik ten Hag team," the former Red Devils defender told Vibe with FIVE. "He’s a real modern-day goalkeeper. You see teams pressing him and he doesn’t even panic.
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"He gets the ball in, brings on the press says ‘Come on, come to me’ and when that player comes to him he knows there’s a player free somewhere else and he normally finds them.
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Andre Onana is closing in on a move to Manchester United (Getty Images)"I think there will be mistakes and playing that risky way you do have mistakes and that happens, but it’s about staying true to your beliefs, finding the right balance and remaining calm throughout those periods."
Personal terms between Onana and United are not expected to be an issue as the goalkeeper is keen on pushing for the move.
It is believed that Inter are holding out for €60m (£52m) before sanctioning Onana's exit, but United are confident they can drive that asking price down significantly.
Talks progressed positively on Thursday night and the two clubs are closing in on a deal for a fee of around £40million. With that being said, United are still in talks with Feyenoord keeper Justin Bijlow as an alternative in case there are any last-gasp hiccups with the Onana deal.
Meanwhile, De Gea remains technically out of contract at United given his deal expired at the beginning of this month, but those at the top of the club wish to hold face-to-face talks with the Spaniard over a possible extension.
Back-up 'keeper Dean Henderson is back in training at United's Carrington training base but is keen to leave the club permanently following his loan spell at Nottingham Forest last season.