Manchester United signed Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan on Thursday in a deal that could rise to £47 million ($57 million) and also named Bruno Fernandes as the club’s new captain.
Onana, who will succeed David de Gea as number one at Old Trafford, has agreed a five-year deal with the Premier League club.
“Andre Onana has joined Manchester United on a contract running until June 2028, with the option of a further year, subject to international clearance,” the club said in a Thursday statement.
He joins Manchester United from Inter Milan.
🎶 “What’s my name?”#MUFC pic.twitter.com/R376XfwQm2
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 20, 2023
The Cameroonian has kept 104 clean sheets in 255 club games.
“To join Manchester United is an incredible honour and I have worked hard all my life to get to this moment, overcoming many obstacles along the way,” he told the club’s website.
“Walking out at Old Trafford to defend our goal and contribute to the team will be another amazing experience. This is the start of a new journey for me, with new teammates, and new ambitions to fight for.”
De Gea left the Red Devils earlier this month after 12 years at United.
The Spaniard struggled with Erik ten Hag’s preference to play out from the back and Onana appears a far more natural fit for the Dutch coach’s philosophy.
Onana joined Barcelona as a 14-year-old after being spotted at Samuel Eto’o’s academy in his homeland.
After failing to make the first team at the Camp Nou, Onana joined Ajax in 2015 and won three Eredivisie titles under Ten Hag in the Netherlands.
However, his career was temporarily rocked in 2021 by a doping ban for taking a banned diuretic.
Onana claimed to have accidentally taken a drug prescribed to his wife and had a one-year ban reduced to nine months on appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
He joined Inter on a free transfer just over 12 months ago when his contract at Ajax expired.
Onana made only 24 Serie A appearances as he shared goalkeeping duties with Samir Handanovic in the Inter captain’s final year at the club.
But he was an ever-present in the Champions League, keeping eight clean sheets in 13 games as Inter reached the final for the first time in 13 years.
Meanwhile, Fernandes has taken over from England’s Harry Maguire as United’s captain. The defender was recently stripped of the armband.
“Bruno Fernandes has been named as the new club captain of Manchester United,” Manchester United added.
“The Portuguese midfielder has already worn the armband for United on numerous occasions and Erik ten Hag has confirmed that he will now lead the team on a permanent basis.”
Since joining the club in 2020, Fernandes has scored 64 goals and contributed 54 assists in just 185 matches.
Fernandes was most frequently named captain in Maguire’s absence last season and the Portugal midfielder is the favourite to be given the role on a full-time basis.