Van der Sar's Curious Verdict: Raya Falls Short of World Class, But Onana Makes the Cut

The United legend has delivered a head-scratcher of an assessment, dismissing Arsenal's in-form shot-stopper David Raya as something less than elite while championing Manchester United's out-of-favour Andre Onana as genuinely world-class.

It's a take that raises more than a few eyebrows, particularly given Raya's contribution to Arsenal's title challenge this term. The Spaniard has been instrumental in keeping Mikel Arteta's side at the summit of the Premier League, with the Gunners conceding just 22 goals. He's racked up 14 clean sheets—more than any other goalkeeper in the division—and shared last season's Golden Glove with Nottingham Forest's Matz Sels.

Arteta himself has gushed over his keeper's development. Back in early February, the Arsenal boss declared that Raya had "reached a different level," praising his stability and consistency as a cornerstone of the club's quadruple bid. When Arsenal edged Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday, Raya produced a sprawling stop to keep out Alejandro Garnacho's late chance, prompting Arteta to hail it as "fabulous" and underline the keeper's status as a genuine match-winner.

Yet when presented with a roster of elite goalkeepers on ESPN, Van der Sar simply said "no" to Raya's inclusion. The usual suspects—Alisson, Thibaut Courtois, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Manuel Neuer—made the grade, but Onana's name also earned the nod.

The verdict feels particularly curious given Onana's current circumstances. The 28-year-old is currently on loan at Turkish side Trabzonspor after struggling to establish himself at Old Trafford, yet Van der Sar remains a steadfast advocate. The Netherlands icon worked with Onana at Ajax for several years and recently offered an extensive defence of his compatriot's qualities.

Van der Sar acknowledged Onana's exceptional reflexes and distribution while conceding the midfielder-turned-keeper has a tendency towards the occasional calamitous error. He suggested the instability at United—with constant changes across the back line, midfield, and coaching staff over six or seven years—created an environment where it's difficult for any new arrival to flourish, let alone a goalkeeper requiring a settled defence in front of him.

The former Manchester United number one pointed to Onana's pedigree: his rise from third-choice at Ajax, his strong spell in Italy, and his Champions League final appearance. Van der Sar believed the move to Old Trafford should have been a perfect fit, though he acknowledged that numerous arrivals over the past eight or nine years have failed to meet expectations at the club.