"He advised me a lot" - Andre Onana lauds Manchester United legend for having 'great impact' on his career
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana recently talked about the impact that Red Devils legend Edwin van der Sar has had on his career. Onana and Van der Sar were part of the Ajax set-up from 2015 to 2022, with the Dutchman serving as the club's chief executive.
Manchester United completed the signing of Andre Onana from Inter Milan in a deal worth €50 million during the summer transfor window. Unfortunately, the goalkeeper has had a trouble start to life at Old Trafford amid a string of unconvincing performances between the sticks.
So far, Onana has made 16 appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions, conceding a whopping 26 goals. The 27-year-old's performances have attracted a lot of criticism in recent weeks, with many already questioning his transfer.
Speaking to United's in-house media (via Manchester Evening News), the Cameroonian shot-stopper opened up on his relationship with the former Manchester United goalkeeper.
"Of course I had a good relationship with him," Andre Onana said of the Dutchman who is currently recovering from a brain haemorrhage. "By the way, I spoke with him when I heard the bad news of him, but he is getting well."
"He had a great impact. I was with him in Ajax back in the days. We had a great, great time. We were training sometimes together and he advised me a lot. He was happy when I joined United."
Onana went on to narrate how Edwin van der Ser used to take note of his mistakes during games and advise him afterwards.
"He advised me a lot during the game, after the game, especially if I was making mistakes. He was coming through all the way to the dressing room or to the training session to speak with me and he helped me to build that personality, you know? I will always be thankful to him," he said.
Manchester United need Andre Onana at his best against FC Copenhagen this week
Andre Onana was the star of the show when Manchester United locked horns with FC Copenhagen in a must-win Champions League game at Old Trafford two weeks ago. He saved multiple shots, including a 97th minute penalty kick to ensure that his side claimed a 1-0 win.
The two clubs are set to face each other once again, this time in Denmark, and the stakes remain as high as they were the last time out. The Red Devils will need another extraordinary performance from Andre Onana to secure the three points.
Meanwhile, even tougher tests lie ahead as Erik ten Hag's men will face Galatasaray and Bayern Munich in their last two group fixtures. They were beaten by the two sides in the first round of fixtures and will need to improve their performance this time.