Manchester United are heading into a critical summer under new manager Ruben Amorim, with major squad changes expected. Amid all the speculation and planning, club legend Edwin van der Sar believes two under-fire players — Antony and Andre Onana — deserve a fresh start.
Antony’s time at Old Trafford has been turbulent since his £82 million arrival from Ajax in 2022. Despite high hopes, he struggled to justify the fee and was soon labeled one of the club’s worst signings. But things took a turn after a loan spell at Real Betis in the second half of last season, where he netted nine goals and added five assists.
Betis are eager to extend Antony’s loan, but discussions continue as United weigh permanent interest from Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen. Still, Van der Sar is calling for patience and believes Antony could contribute to United’s evolving squad, even with new attackers like Matheus Cunha set to arrive.
Meanwhile, Onana’s debut season as United’s number one was far from smooth, riddled with errors and underwhelming performances. Despite the criticism, Van der Sar insists the Cameroonian shot-stopper has the tools to succeed. He points to Onana’s performances in Champions League finals with Inter and standout years at Ajax as evidence of his potential.
Van der Sar argues that goalkeeping shouldn’t be a priority in Amorim’s rebuild, even though Onana lacked consistency. Instead, he suggests United strengthen elsewhere. Mistakes can happen, Van der Sar says, but Onana has enough talent to turn things around next season.
Addressing the pressure surrounding United players, Van der Sar reflected on how scrutiny has grown dramatically with the rise of social media and constant punditry. Players are under more pressure than ever, but with their wages come high expectations.
United’s recent seasons have been well below their historic standards. The last campaign ended with a Europa League final defeat to Tottenham, capping a forgettable year. Van der Sar acknowledges that even smaller clubs have outperformed United thanks to better organisation and effort.
Despite speculation that Alejandro Garnacho could be on his way out and new signings on the horizon, Van der Sar is cautiously optimistic. He believes with smart decisions and belief in players like Antony and Onana, United can steer back on course.