Andre Onana gives brutally honest verdict on Erik ten Hag sack and claims Man Utd players ‘gave everything’

Andre Onana says he retains “a very good relationship” with Erik ten Hag despite admitting that the Dutchman “paid the price” for poor results after his sacking at Manchester United.

Ruben Amorim is arriving in a wave of expectation after running riot in Portugal with Sporting, as was evidenced in the 4-1 Champions League rout of Manchester City on Tuesday night, but that is exactly the sentiment Erik ten Hag arrived with after impressing at Ajax.

Amorim will be hoping to buck that trend when he starts work at Old Trafford on March 11 but, in the meantime, Onana has lifted the lid on Ten Hag’s exit having been brought to the club by the Dutchman.

Speaking before United host PAOK in the Europa League on Thursday night, the Man Utd stopper said: “When I heard [Ten Hag] was leaving, I felt bad.

“It’s not always easy for players to understand when a manager is leaving.

“At the end of the day, the club has to make a decision and we have to follow [that decision]. I worked with him [at Ajax] and he is a very good manager. I have a very good relationship with him.

“Why things didn’t work out here is simple – we didn’t win enough games. At a high level, it is not easy and sometimes we all have to pay the price and, unfortunately, [this time] it was him.

“We did everything – the players gave everything, worked hard and tried their best – but it just didn’t work.”

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Onana expects players to adapt under Amorim

United are undefeated in both games under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who will remain in charge until new boss Amorim takes over on November 11.

Onana, however, backed his teammates to turn it around and succeed under Amorim, whose first game in charge will be a trip to Ipswich Town in the Premier League after the international break.

He added: “It is a different system but my team-mates here are all pragmatic. Everyone here is capable to play in each system, so I don’t think this will be any issue for us.

“We have big players and they will step up.”

With Amorim now clearly Ineos’ man, United players will have to fall in line with his approach or face the prospect of being booted out either in January or next summer.

Latest Man Utd news: Shock Ronaldo return mooted / United eye striker

Cristiano Ronaldo returning to Manchester United as a player or coach is possible under Ruben Amorim, though the striker is expected to go down a different path and emulate David Beckham, according to one pundit.

Former Man Utd ace Teddy Sheringham believes Amorim would be open to Ronaldo moving back to Old Trafford after the Portuguese icon previously fell out with his predecessor, Erik ten Hag. Amorim and Ronaldo already know each other well, having represented the Portugal national team together during the manager’s playing days.

Meanwhile, Chelsea and Manchester United reportedly both see Samu Omorodion as the ideal player to lead their lines, and are ready for ‘intense’ competition for his signature.

Both clubs have signed strikers fairly recently. Chelsea got Nicolas Jackson last summer, before bringing in Joao Felix – who can play in a number of forward positions – this summer.

United, meanwhile, brought in Joshua Zirkzee in July, a year after they signed Rasmus Hojlund.

But both are seemingly on the lookout for strikers to make further improvements to their sides and Omorodion has emerged as a target.

IN FOCUS – Erik ten Hag’s final Man Utd record