Rio Ferdinand in agreement with Danny Murphy over Man Utd’s £51m transfer ‘target’

Rio Ferdinand is in agreement with Danny Murphy over Manchester United’s reported transfer target Andre Onana.

Erik ten Hag is on the lookout for a new goalkeeper after the club failed to agree a new deal with starting stopper David De Gea. Inter Milan keeper Onana is said to be the chosen one, with United impressed by his performances across last season and previous campaigns. Onana and Inter reached the final of the Champions League last season, although they ultimately fell short against Manchester City.

Onana has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe over recent seasons, and Inter are reportedly demanding a sizeable fee this summer.

In desperate need of a keeper who can remain in place for years to come, pundits are generally in favour of the deal, regardless of the potential cost.

“Yeah massive,” Murphy recently told talkSPORT when asked about Onana’s potential move to Old Trafford.

“I think it’s massive in the way that when you watch City, and there’s a really good press on them, from a good side, he (Ederson) is so comfortable missing out the first press with a lovely little ping out wide to a full back or a wide man who’s dropped, a full back who’s pushed on. Or playing through the lines to someone’s feet, a 40 yard whipped ball that you expect a central midfielder or centre back to play – whip it through two players really quick into somebody’s feet so he can be on the turn and at you.

“Because United have got so many technical players, with good spatial awareness, Fernandes, Mount, Casemiro, if you’ve got a press on Man United and De Gea’s got the ball at his feet, you know he’s not going to play clever little passes through into them boys, so you don’t have to worry about that you can really go after the press, knowing he’s got to kick it long.

“Whereas if you’ve got the goalkeeper who’s got the capability – not just the technical ability to make the pass, it’s seeing the pass as well, that’s why Ederson’s the best, Allison’s not far behind.”

United legend Ferdinand has also spoken about the deal, saying on his Vibe with Five podcast: “He’ll give United more confidence and more ability to play out from the back and I think he suits and Erik ten Hag team.

“He’s a real modern day goalkeeper. You see teams pressing him and he doesn’t even panic. He gets the ball in, brings on the press says ‘come on, come to me’ and when that player comes to him he knows there’s a player free somewhere else and he normally finds them.

“I think there will be mistakes and playing that risky way you do have mistakes and that happens, but it’s about staying true to your beliefs, finding the right balance and remaining calm throughout those periods. I believe this is a deal that will be made at some point in the transfer window.”