André Onana, the Perfect Goalkeeper for Erik ten Hag

Having previously managed Andre Onana at Ajax and knowing first-hand what an exceptional goalkeeper he is, Erik ten Hag knew the Cameroonian was the perfect choice for his Manchester United.

Possessing so many of the characteristics the sophisticated Dutch tactician covets in a keeper, bringing in Onana from Inter Milan was a no-brainer for the Red Devils.

Extremely familiar with ten Hag's build-up principles and philosophy, which should make for a smooth integration into life at Old Trafford, Onana truly is an ideal choice to replace David de Gea, who's been a fantastic servant to the club since joining in 2011.

"Most important, always for a keeper, is clean sheets and he's not doing that on his own. Therefore, you need a very good defensive organization, [it's] quite clear. But also the capabilities of a keeper is [about] keeping the goal clean. So this is the first criterion of a good goalkeeper," ten Hag insisted.

”But, nowadays, football also demands good playing from the back, out-playing qualities, and that is a quality Andre has. You need both and you need to cover both areas. So yeah, we're happy, of course.

“I think with his physical presence and also with his personality, he is so keen on winning. He's so, so eager to win trophies and he will help the team and he will help the squad to get to higher levels.”

The fact he also knows Lisandro Martinez, Antony and Donny van de Beek from his time at Ajax should also help his adaptation process.

Bringing so much to the table in all areas, obviously, the key aspect of his game that United wanted is his mastery with the ball at his feet.

Seeing as ten Hag wants his side to pass out from the back, there's no doubting Onana is one of the finest exponents of this art in world football. So calm, composed and comfortable under pressure, the confident, two-footed keeper is exceptional at drawing out foes before then cutting through the press with his magnificent distribution.

Boasting a wonderful range of passing, which means he can strike wicked long balls wide and centrally, engage in slick combination play in close quarters and find teammates with penetrative, line-breaking passes to feet, there's much to admire about his aptitude here.

Never afraid to back himself to take risks, his playmaking qualities, vision, movement to support teammates and usually sound decision-making are nothing short of remarkable even if he does get himself into the odd sticky situation.

Set to give United a real X-factor in possession and a player who causes issues for opponents when harrying due to how incisively he can hurt his adversaries, it's little wonder United were happy to pay a hefty £48 million to acquire him.

It's also impressive how composed he remains when dribbling upfield or away from danger, with his capacity to provoke pressure to then manufacture passing angles and gaps in opponents so beneficial.

Crucially, the former Inter star is a tremendous shot-stopper as well, for the athletically gifted netminder has razor-sharp reflexes and reactions to elevate his value.

Quick to read the intentions of the ball holder and at preparing himself on the balls of his feet so he can explode in a variety of directions, this gives him a sound base to be a success. His astute reading of the play and attentiveness vitally ensures he's awake to act as a sweeper keeper to race off his line to quell danger, plus sees him excel when dealing with deliveries into the box.

Commanding his area nicely, being proactive and always ready to pounce, these aspects of his armory are areas that the imposing 190cm Onana certainly has the edge over de Gea in.

Although he can flap at crosses and make the odd error in judgment, these are minor issues in the grand scheme of things, with him undeniably a major upgrade on de Gea for how United intend to play under ten Hag.