MAN UTD made signing a custodian a priority, and Andre Onana will be the new man in goal at Old Trafford.
The Cameroonian shot-stopper, who will replace David De Gea in goal, cost the Red Devils £ 47 million.
Participate in the Champions League with Onana’s team.
Manchester United have signed Andre Onana for £47 million.
Charitable Onana runs a foundation that provides power for his mother’s village in Cameroon.
Onana’s nonprofit also supports children from underprivileged backgrounds.
The Cameroonian international was a revelation during the club’s Champions League journey to the semi-finals in 2019.
He excels in this competition, having helped Inter Milan reach the final last season.
The 27-year-old has signed a five-year contract worth approximately £6.2 million each year.
And the goaltender has ensured that the fortune he has accumulated is shared with his homeland.
In 2020, it was reported that Onana utilised a portion of his salary to support an electric system that supplies electricity to a tiny African hamlet.
The philanthropic sportsman also runs a foundation that helps children who have not had the simplest of lives.
He began his youth career at Barcelona, but irritated the Catalan giants by turning down a contract offer to join Ajax at the age of 18.
The judgement was correct, however, as Onana went on to become one of Europe’s top goalkeepers.
Charitable cause
Born in Cameroon, Onana had no intention of supporting his mother’s hometown, Mengueme.
Andre Onana’s Childhood Story and Untold Biography Facts
However, after obtaining a £20,000-per-week contract with Ajax in 2019, he felt compelled to give back.
Onana put his money to good use, funding a power grid that supplies electricity to the Essoessam populace.
He led the residents of Menguene out of the darkness and reduced their reliance on paraffin lamps.
And it’s not his only philanthropic contribution.
In 2016, Onana established his foundation to assist young African children in obtaining a better education, gaining access to medical treatment, and assisting those afflicted by terrorist acts.
Andre Onana’s Childhood Story and Untold Biography Facts
“I know first-hand what many children in my country are suffering,” the president said.
“Inside me, I feel that I must help them to have a better future.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF SAMUEL ETO’O
Onana’s success is due in part to former Barcelona player Samuel Eto’o.
He joined the La Masia Academy at the age of 14 as a prodigy from Cameroon’s famed strikers academy.
“I am very thankful for what he did for me through his foundation,” Onana told OmaSportsTV.
However, Onana’s experience in Catalonia was not entirely satisfactory.
Barcelona was banned by FIFA in 2014 for violating the rules governing international youth recruitment.
This meant that Barça’s young players’ growth was interrupted because they were unable to play any competitive games for 18 months.
When he returned, he was named man-of-the-match for Barcelona in an Under-19 UEFA Youth League game against Ajax, which tipped off Ajax’s coaching staff.
FRUSTRATION
At 18, Onana became dissatisfied with his chances at the Camp Nou.
He was sure that he belonged on Barcelona’s B team and viewed his route to the first team blocked by the arrivals of Claudio Bravo and Marc Andre ter Stegen that summer.
There was just one thing to do.
Barcelona offered him a contract, but Ajax’s sales pitch seemed more appealing. He relocated to Amsterdam to better perfect his game, much to the annoyance of Spanish legend Andoni Zubizaretta.
When first-team goalie Jasper Cillessen transferred to Barcelona in 2016, manager Peter Bosz made the decision that 20-year-old Onana would be his number one.
CHANCES HAMPERED
Although he has now made his dream move to the Premier League, Onana’s chances of progressing to a better club may have come sooner.
Following a breakout season in 2016-17, which helped Ajax reach the Europa League final, a top unknown team began talks with him.
However, the shot-stopper said that he was advised that the colour of his skin would be a problem for fans, thus the move was cancelled.
“It is not easy for a black custodian to reach the top,” Onana told Dutch media Het Parool, according to Marca.
“They opted not to sign me because having a black custodian would be tough for their supporters.
I have no idea.
“It wasn’t because they didn’t believe I was talented enough. “I consider it a compliment.”
That club’s loss might undoubtedly benefit Chelsea.
Redemption at Inter.
Onana’s career was cut short in 2021 when he was suspended for 12 months after testing positive for the prohibited drug Furosemide.
André Onana: “… Sur ce chemin difficile” – Mega Sports
He claimed it was his wife’s medicine and that he took it by mistake. He challenged the verdict with Ajax’s backing, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport shortened his term to nine months.
After seven and a half years in Amsterdam, Onana joined Inter Milan to restart his career.
In January 2023, he won the Supercoppa Italiana against rivals AC Milan and then the Coppa Italia, defeating Fiorentina in the final.
Inter goalie Andre Onana celebrates reaching the UCL final with family in San Siro.
The African was also vital in his team’s journey to the Champions League final, when they were narrowly defeated by Manchester City.