Inter Milan fans feared Andre Onana’s £47m departure but Yann Sommer’s start has meant he has been quickly forgotten… as his predecessor struggles at Man United

• Inter Milan moved to sign Yann Sommer after Andre Onana joined Man United 
• The Swiss veteran has made a strong start as Onana has struggled in England 
• Mail Sport’s new WhatsApp Channel: Get the breaking news and exclusives here 

Andre Onana’s departure in the summer appeared to be a risky move from Inter Milan, but their decision has so far defied all predictions despite the initial criticism from the Nerazzurri fans.

His replacement Yann Sommer has settled perfectly in Milan and has been one of the key players as Simone Inzaghi’s side enjoy a great start to the season, while Onana is experiencing a nightmare at Manchester United.

Inter benefited from a financial point of view from Onana. The Cameroon international was signed on a for free from Ajax in 2022, before being sold for £47.2m (€55m) just a year later.

Onana had to be sold due to Inter’s financial needs, but his sale could have created a void in goal that was difficult to fill.

The Nerazzurri turned to Sommer, who arrived at the club with great enthusiasm after a short spell at Bayern Munich. The Swiss international spent six months with the German giants after their first choice Manuel Neuer had suffered a broken leg last December.

Inter Milan supporters were fearful after Andre Onana was sold to Man United this summer

The Italian giants turned to veteran Yann Sommer and the replacement has made a strong start

Sommer, right, in the summer after six months as cover to Manuel Neuer at Bayern Munich

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Sommer has best been known for his long spell as Borussia Monchengladbach’s starting goalkeeper, as well as his impressive performances for Basel and the Swiss national team.

Compared to Onana, his prospects are more limited due to being a veteran at 34-years-old, but if his performances continue to be convincing, he will remain Inter’s first choice goalkeeper until June 2025. However, the Serie A giants will continue to scan the market for a long-term successor.

Sommer is very vocal on the pitch, organising his defenders, and above all is always attentive in decisive moments of the match. He has a good physique and his positional sense appears to be an upgrade on his predecessor.

SOMMER’S STRONG INTER START AMID ONANA STRUGGLES

In his six appearances for Manchester United to date, Onana has already conceded 14 goals. Ten have come in the league while he conceded four against Bayern Munich in Europe on Wednesday.

Conceding more than two goals on average per game is far too many for one of the highest paid goalkeepers over the past five years.

Onana seems to have returned to the goalkeeper seen at Ajax, with performances fluctuating at the Dutch side. Serie A today seems to be more suited to his style than the Premier League.

In contrast, Sommer has enjoyed a smooth transition to Serie A. The goalkeeper has used the experienced gained in his 291 appearances in the Bundesliga and 92 matches in European competitions, as well as the 84 caps he has won for the Swiss national team.

Sommer has so far been decisive in managing crucial moments in the Nerazzurri defence.

Onana has had a nightmare start at Man United and made a high-profile error against Bayern

The Man United summer signing has appeared nervous and frustrated at his defence

Sommer has been a calming presence behind Inter Milan’s defence by comparison

Compared to Onana he has greater charisma and manages communication with the defenders better, even if he still has problems understanding the Italian language.

Sommer has more patience and shows less anger than Onana, who has appeared constantly frustrated by Manchester United’s defensive problems.

His reflexes have also been shown in the first part of the season, where he has conceded just twice in five games. The statistics are impressive when compared to Onana, who has made a nightmare start at Man United with a series of high-profile errors.

Onana appears nervous, distracted and probably has some regrets for the decision to join the Red Devils’ so far unsuccessful project.

One of the most interesting characteristics that Onana has is the quality of his passes, acting as if he were an additional defender. Remarkably, Sommer seems to have even been an improvement, with the goalkeeper known for his skills with his feet having also played as a full-back as a youngster.

SOMMER WAS A LUCKY SECOND CHOICE

Inter had spent months trying to keep hold of Onana, before attempting to sign Guglielmo Vicario when it became clear that he would move on.

Empoli’s No 1 ultimately accepted Tottenham’s offer and has quickly become one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.

The sale of Onana to his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag boosted Inter’s finances, allowing them to operate in the transfer market. 

But the transfer left without a first-choice goalkeeper, with the exception of young Filip Stankovic, as Inter had lost Onana, Samir Handanovic and Alex Cordaz.

Inter spent time trying to sign Ukrainian goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, who ultimately joined Benfica from Shakhtar Donetsk. Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta instead bought experience by signing Sommer from Bayern Munich for just €6m (£5m), saving a lot of money compared to any other solution.

Inter Milan initially wanted to sign Guglielmo Vicario before his transfer to Tottenham

The club then moved to sign Sommer and the goalkeeper impressed in the Champions League

Sommer’s start to life at Inter Milan has meant the club’s fans are no longer missing Onana

The Swiss goalkeeper has been a key figure during their first Serie A and Champions League matches of the season, while Onana made another mistake to gift Bayern Munich the opening goal in their 4-3 win over Man United.

In San Sebastian, Sommer was the saviour of his side as he ensured Inter did not to lose their first European match of the year. 

Against Real Sociedad he passed the first test in the Champions League with flying colours, instinctively saving Mikel Oyarzabal’s header from close range.

He made several decisive interventions to further reassure the last fans still attached to Onana after his last extraordinary season in Italy.

This is why today we can say that Inter has gained from moving from Onana to Sommer.

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