Manchester United reason for Andre Onana downfall revealed

Manchester United have been forced to make major decisions between the posts in recent seasons as the club continues searching for stability after the departure of David de Gea.

The goalkeeper position has undergone several changes since De Gea and Dean Henderson both moved on in 2023, with United eventually spending £47.2 million to bring Andre Onana in from Inter Milan.

Onana arrived with a reputation as a modern goalkeeper capable of playing with the ball at his feet, but his time at Old Trafford has been filled with ups and downs.

The Cameroonian initially admitted that adapting to English football was difficult during his first six months in Manchester, but his performances improved significantly.

During the opening months of the 2024/25 campaign, Andre Onana was viewed internally as one of United’s most reliable performers before his form later declined.

Reason for Andre Onana’s Manchester United downfall revealed

According to figures inside Manchester United, as reported by The Sun, one of the biggest factors behind Onana’s drop-off was the change in goalkeeping coach following Ruben Amorim’s arrival.

Sources within the club believe Onana’s strong relationship with Jelle ten Rouwelaar played a key role in his improvement, with staff noticing a noticeable change after Amorim replaced him with Jorge Vital.

Ten Rouwelaar was brought in during the summer of 2024 as part of Erik ten Hag’s backroom reshuffle and quickly developed a strong connection with Onana.

The Dutch coach impressed members of United’s goalkeeping group with his methods and built a positive relationship with Onana during the club’s pre-season tour in Los Angeles.

However, Ten Rouwelaar’s time at Old Trafford was short-lived, lasting just four months before Amorim decided to bring in Vital, who had worked with him at Sporting Lisbon.

Andre Onana had also previously enjoyed a close bond with Ten Hag, who managed him at Ajax, while reports suggest the goalkeeper found Amorim’s approach more distant.

The goalkeeper’s situation changed further after United brought in Senne Lammens, with the youngster enjoying an excellent debut season and becoming the preferred option between the posts.

Onana left United in September of 2025, joining Turkish side Trabzonspor on a season-long loan, where he helped the club win the Turkish Cup.

After his loan ended, the 30-year-old returned to Old Trafford last week, but his future appears increasingly likely to be away from Manchester.

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan recently revealed the Turkish club remain in regular contact with Onana, saying, “We speak with Onana every day.

He added, “We won’t have any financial difficulties. We’ll make the necessary sacrifices. I don’t think we will experience any setbacks.

“But if we do, we will find another goalkeeper of the same quality.”

While Onana’s United career looks close to reaching its conclusion, those inside the club believe his decline was not simply down to performances, but also the major changes around him.