Andre Onana’s fresh start in Turkey began in the worst possible fashion as the former Manchester United goalkeeper committed a costly blunder on his Trabzonspor debut.
The Cameroon international, signed on loan from United, gifted Fenerbahce the decisive goal in Sunday’s clash, handing their rivals a 1-0 win that lifted them into second place in the Super Lig.
Onana initially produced a fine stop to deny a close range effort but then placed the rebound directly at Youssef En Nesyri’s feet. The Moroccan striker calmly slotted home what proved to be the winner.
For Onana, the mistake was a painful reminder of the difficulties that plagued his two year spell at Old Trafford. Signed from Inter Milan for £47.2m in 2023, he endured a turbulent time in Manchester, his form questioned amid high profile errors and relentless scrutiny. This summer, having lost his place to Altay Bayindir and then seen United recruit Antwerp’s Senne Lammens, he was allowed to depart for Trabzonspor on loan.
United manager Ruben Amorim had insisted the 28 year old retained his quality but suggested he had been worn down by the pressure of playing at Old Trafford. “Sometimes you can have all the quality in the world but you need a change of environment to return to your level,” Amorim said.
Onana had hoped life in the Turkish Super Lig would offer the reset he craved. Instead, his opening appearance only added to the narrative of a career still overshadowed by costly mistakes.
For Trabzonspor, the defeat dented their push for a top two finish. For Onana, it was a debut to forget and an inauspicious start to what he had hoped would be a redemption story.
